A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Gark on Tuesday set aside an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission investigation report that alleged fraud in the London/Paris Club refunds involving Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.
Justice Suleiman Belgore ruled that the Federal Government acted beyond its powers by directing the EFCC, through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, to investigate court judgments that ordered payment to consultant Dr. Ted Iseghohi-Edwards for legal services rendered in the matter.
The judge noted that the directive came after the government had already issued promissory notes for the payment following a clearance report by the Department of State Services. He held that the EFCC’s subsequent report constituted an affront to the authority of the court.
“The law and the court must be respected. They are both official and statutory. It is not within the powers of the Respondents to use Exhibit GG to impugn the integrity of the court by claiming the judgement was obtained fraudulently,” Justice Belgore said.
He stated that the appropriate step for the Federal Government was to file processes seeking to set aside the judgments rather than investigate them.
The court found that there were negotiated terms of engagement between the Incorporated Trustees of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) and Iseghohi-Edwards. Those terms were renegotiated by the parties in open court on September 15, 2016.
Justice Belgore further held that the 10 promissory notes issued to the consultant in compliance with a valid order of mandamus by the Federal High Court were validly issued by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The court upheld the suit filed by the Abuja-based lawyer, stating there was unassailable evidence that he had been retained by ALGON to represent the 774 local government areas in the London/Paris Club refunds matter.
Among the reliefs granted, the court barred the Federal Government and its agencies from arresting, detaining or prosecuting Iseghohi-Edwards, or from infringing on his fundamental rights in connection with the matter.
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