N894 million scam: Bankole loses bid to quash charges
The Federal High Court, Abuja, has dismissed an application by Dimeji Bankole to quash charges by EFCC against him in respect of N894 million fraud.
Bankole, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, filed the application on the ground that the charges had not established any ``prima facie'' case against him.
In his ruling, Justice Donatus Okorowo held that the prosecutor must be given the liberty to prosecute the case, considering that the charges had shown enough ``prima facie'' against the suspect.
``The application is, therefore, dismissed because it lacks merit and the case will go ahead,'' Okorowo said.
A similar application that Bankole filed challenging the ``fiat'' given to Mr Festus Keyamo to prosecute the case was also struck out.
Bankole had in that motion challenged the authorisation Keyamo obtained from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
The court held that Bankole lacked the authority to question lawyers that were employed to prosecute a case.
``Keyamo is a lawyer and he is leading other lawyers properly engaged to handle this case; the EFCC has not denied the fact that he got its authorisation,'' he said.
Okorowo said that the application was filed in bad light and could not be allowed to stand.
He explained that it was proved that Keyamo was duly given the brief by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to prosecute the matter.
``I feel what the accused person should do is to dissipate energy in gathering evidence that could help him defend the charge against him rather than be involved in selecting who should prosecute him,'' the judge said.
Keyamo had opposed the applications, saying, ``they are cogs on the wheel of justice.''
The EFCC in June filed a 16-count charge of contract inflation amounting to N894 million against Bankole.Okorowo adjourned the case to Feb 7 and Feb 8, 2012.
The Federal High Court, Abuja, has dismissed an application by Dimeji Bankole to quash charges by EFCC against him in respect of N894 million fraud.
Bankole, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, filed the application on the ground that the charges had not established any ``prima facie'' case against him.
In his ruling, Justice Donatus Okorowo held that the prosecutor must be given the liberty to prosecute the case, considering that the charges had shown enough ``prima facie'' against the suspect.
``The application is, therefore, dismissed because it lacks merit and the case will go ahead,'' Okorowo said.
A similar application that Bankole filed challenging the ``fiat'' given to Mr Festus Keyamo to prosecute the case was also struck out.
Bankole had in that motion challenged the authorisation Keyamo obtained from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
The court held that Bankole lacked the authority to question lawyers that were employed to prosecute a case.
``Keyamo is a lawyer and he is leading other lawyers properly engaged to handle this case; the EFCC has not denied the fact that he got its authorisation,'' he said.
Okorowo said that the application was filed in bad light and could not be allowed to stand.
He explained that it was proved that Keyamo was duly given the brief by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to prosecute the matter.
``I feel what the accused person should do is to dissipate energy in gathering evidence that could help him defend the charge against him rather than be involved in selecting who should prosecute him,'' the judge said.
Keyamo had opposed the applications, saying, ``they are cogs on the wheel of justice.''
The EFCC in June filed a 16-count charge of contract inflation amounting to N894 million against Bankole.Okorowo adjourned the case to Feb 7 and Feb 8, 2012.
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