JUSTICE Suleman Belgore of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday issued a warrant of immediate arrest against the immediate past clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Mohammed Sani Omolori. The judge issued the warrant of arrest following an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seeking an order of the court for the commission to arrest Omolori.
The anti-corruption commission in the application, marked M/8728/2020, filed before the court alleged that the respondent had ignored its invitation for him to report to it over an investigation of a petition. The EFCC stated that it was investigating a petition alleging diversion of 14 Toyota Hilux vehicles and 13 Peugeot 508 valued at over N400 million which the National Assembly management squandered.
According to the commission, as part of its investigation activities, it invited the secretary of the National Assembly Commission, Adamu Mohammed Fika, Mr Oluseye Ajakaye and other commissioners of the commission to its office.
It stated that the invitees made revelations indicting Omolori, following which it (EFCC) sent a letter to him on November 4, 2019, which the former National Assembly Clerk failed to honour. EFCC added that it sent another letter to Omolori on March 16, 2020, which he still failed to honour.
In view of his failure to honour the invitations, EFCC stated that it was left with no other option than to approach the court for a warrant of arrest to be issued against the respondent. Having listened to counsel for EFCC, S.N. Robert, Justice Belgore granted the order sought by the anti-graft agency.
“I have considered the application. I averted to Paragraph 7 of the supporting affidavit and Exhibit EFCC 4 wherein the respondent was said to have ignored invitations to report in the applicant’s office without any justifiable reason. “It is clear to me that Section 3 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015 can be invoked in the circumstances of this case in granting this application, and I so do.
“Warrant of immediate arrest is hereby issued against Alhaji Mohammed Sani Omolori, the former clerk of the National Assembly forthwith,” Justice Belgore ordered.
and then