Press Release
A former governor of Kogi State, Prince Abubakar
Audu, who is being prosecuted at a Federal Capital Territory High Court by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, for his alleged involvement in a
contract scam to the tune of eleven billion naira, today threw decorum to the
dogs when he ordered his security aide (a police officer) to assault an
operative of the EFCC, Haruna Ashade, for daring to take his photograph in
court.
Ashade, a member of the EFCC team assigned to cover
the proceedings, was carrying out his lawful duties when Audu’s aide descended
on him. The sudden realisation that his image might have been captured by the
cameraman, incensed Prince Audu. Seething with rage, he demanded for the
camera.
When Ashade refused to hand the equipment over to the accused person,
Prince Audu called on one of his aides, a police inspector, to forcibly
collect the camera from Ashade and delete his pictures from it.
A scuffle ensured which threw the court into
confusion. Audu’s aide rained blows on Ashade, in the attempt to snatch the
camera from him. It took the personal intervention of Justice Ademola Adeniyi
who was about coming out of his chambers to restore order.
Justice Adeniyi sent one of his assistants and his
orderly to restrain Prince Audu’s aide. He was said to have ordered the release
of the camera for it to be kept in the custody of the court until after the
sitting. Ashade obliged them.
However, to the dismay of officials of the
EFCC, when the camera was released, all the pictures taken in court had been
deleted!
When the case was finally called, the prosecuting
counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, pleaded for a short adjournment for reasons of non
availability of his witnesses in court. He told the court that he was at the
Court of Appeal till late yesterday, March 3, and was not aware that the bank
witnesses to be called were not available. He informed the court that the prosecution will be
bringing new witnesses to testify.
Responding, counsel to the first accused, Patrick
Ikwueto, SAN, said that if the prosecution has other witnesses not contained
in the proof of evidence, there was a need for defendants to be served with
their statement.
The case has been adjourned to Friday, March 6,
2015, for continuation of trial.
Prince Audu is being prosecuted alongside a
former Director General of the Directorate of Rural Development in his administration,
Alfa Ibn Mustapha, for offences bordering on criminal breach of trust and
misappropriation of public funds to the tune of N10,965,837,040 (ten billion,
nine hundred and sixty five million, eight hundred and thirty seven thousand
and forty naira).
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
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