A former member of the Enugu state House of Assembly, Ikenna Ejezie
has filed a petition to the EFCC seeking the prosecution of former president
Goodluck Jonathan, over alleged mismanagement of $2.1billion arms deal
scandal
– Ejezie says the request must be responded to within seven days from the
receipt of this letter and as quickly as possible
– EFCC says the petition will be treated on its merit
– EFCC says it is strange that a petitioner or an individual will have to give
the EFCC a deadline to do its work
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has received a very
first petition seeking the prosecution of former president Goodluck Jonathan,
over alleged mismanagement of $2.1billion released to the Office of the
National Security Adviser (ONSA) for arms purchase.
The petition filed to the EFCC, came from a former member of the Enugu
state House of Assembly, Ikenna Ejezie, through his counsel, Barrister
Osuagwu Ugochukwu.
Ejezie’s petition becomes the first ever the EFCC will formally receive
demanding the investigation of Jonathan.
According to a report on The Nation, the petition is also requesting the EFCC
to invite Jonathan for interrogation on why he made N400million public funds
available to a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, for personal and private party use.
Both President Muhammadu Buhari and the Attorney-General of the
Federation and Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami, were copied
the petition.
EFCC has received a first petition seeking the prosecution of former president
Goodluck Jonathan, over alleged mismanagement of $2.1billion.
The petition read: “We are solicitors to Hon. Ikenna Ejezie hereinafter called
our client and with you as he has instructed.
“Our client is requesting you to, in the public interest, invite ex-President
Goodluck Jonathan for questioning and possible prosecution over his role in
the misuse of $2.1billion through the Office of the National Security Adviser
(Col. Sambo Dasuki rtd) and disbursement of N400million funds to Olisa
Metuh for personal and private political party use.
“Our client notes that Dasuki had stated severally whilst in your commission
that the $2.1billion was authorized for disbursement by ex-President
Goodluck Jonathan for arms purchase, but later turned out to be for selfish
purpose.
Olisa Metuh also had admitted that former President Goodluck Jonathan
transferred and/ or authorized release of N400million public funds to his
account for political campaign of Jonathan rather than for public interest.
“Our client informed us that the confession of Olisa Metuh is contained in his
criminal statement with the EFCC.
“Our client is thus shocked that in spite of the implication of ex-President
Jonathan in the current prosecution of Metuh and Dasuki, the former
President has not been invited for his statement to be taken nor has he been
prosecuted by the EFCC as co-accused/ defendant.
“Our client herewith requests that the ex-President be invited for questioning
and to commence prosecution as he was the one who did authorize the
disbursement of the $2.1billion and N400million public funds that were
illegally abused and misappropriated by Dasuki and Metuh who are both
standing trial in various courts in Abuja.
“Our client demands that this request be responded to within seven days
from the receipt of this letter and as quickly as possible.”
When contacted, a top source at the EFCC said: “We have received a copy of
the letter from the affected individual, and it will be treated on its merit.
Normally, once anyone drops a letter or a petition, we subject it to our due
procedure of whether it has any merit or not.
“From what we have, what was sent to us was based on media reports.
Those who brought the letter have not disclosed any fact yet.
“So far, they have to come up with more evidence. We will certainly demand
for concrete evidence against the ex-President from the aggrieved who wrote
us. And it is strange that a petitioner or an individual will have to give the
EFCC a deadline to do its work.”
Reports had become rife that the former president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan
had go one exile in Cote’d’Ivoire. But in a swift reaction, the ex-president
denied the reports.
According to Dr Jonathan in a report in the Vanguard of Tuesday, May 24,
through one his personal assistants, he said: “I am not in exile; it is quite
unfortunate that anybody is insinuating that I am in exile.
“I am now a private citizen. Since I left office, this is my second visit to
Cote’d’Ivoire; I have gone to so many countries in recent times as part of my
efforts to promote peace. What I am doing is a global tour since leaving
office, and this is my second visit to Cote’d’Ivoire.
“It is unfortunate that anybody should insinuate that I am in exile. When I
finish what I am doing here, I will continue my visit all over the world.”
No comments:
Post a Comment