Ekiti Assembly threatens Magu with contempt over state officials’ arrest
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The Ekiti State House of Assembly has sent a letter of protest to the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, over the arrest and detention of the state Commissioner for Finance, Chief Toyin Ojo, and the Accountant General, Mrs. Yemi Owolabi.
In the letter, the Assembly described the arrests of Ojo and Owolabi as premeditated, malicious, politically-motivated, contemptuous and unconstitutional in all ramifications.
The House said the arrests smacked of gangsterism by an agency that derived its powers from the constitution but acting in clear contempt of the rule of law.
The letter, which was dated October 2, 2017 and signed by the Speaker, Mr. Kolawole Oluwawole, was delivered at the EFCC’s Abuja office on Tuesday.
The letter was delivered by the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Dr. Samuel Omotoso.
Omotoso was accompanied to the commission’s office by two members of the House, Mr. Sina Animasaun and Mr. Dayo Akinleye.
The Assembly accused Magu and the commission of disobedience to court orders.
“We therefore wish to put you on notice that should you fail to desist from further disobedience to the court order mentioned above by continuous infraction against the people and the government of Ekiti State, contempt proceedings will be initiated against you without delay,” part of the letter read.
“It is in view of this that we demand the immediate release of the Commissioner for Finance, Chief Toyin Ojo, and the state Accountant General, Mrs. Yemisi Owolabi.”
The speaker explained that there was a subsisting order of the Federal High Court, Ado Ekiti, granted on November 7, 2016, in the case of Attorney General of Ekiti State Vs EFCC, IGP, Ekiti State House of Assembly and 15 others.
The letter read in part, “The court granted an Order of Interim Injunction restraining the 1st and 2nd defendants (EFCC and the Inspector-General of Police, their agents, privies or any other investigative agencies, however described) from arresting, detaining or investigating any person or persons, whether past or present officials in the Ekiti State Government, without any report of indictment from the Ekiti State House of Assembly pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice filed in this suit.
“The consequential effects of the court order, which has not been vacated by a superior court, is that the Ekiti State House of Assembly, being the only institution vested with the powers to appropriate fund for the state government and enforces the judicious use of such, through its Public Account Committee, must first carry out its function of investigating the use of funds appropriated for the state government and report of indictment made.
“In this instance case, the Ekiti State House of Assembly did not report any indictment against the Commissioner for Finance, Chief Toyin Ojo, and the Accountant General, Mrs. Yemi Owolabi, to the EFCC.
“Therefore, the EFCC acted in violation of a valid and subsisting court order by arresting and detaining since Thursday, September 28, 2017, the Ekiti State Commissioner for Finance, Chief Toyin Ojo, and the Accountant General, Mrs. Yemi Owolabi.”
Describing the EFCC as partisan, the letter said, “Despite the petition against a former governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and others dated November 24, 2016 and submitted to the EFCC by the Ekiti State House of Assembly, you have declined to invite any of those that we complained against.
“Instead of acting on our petition, your commission opted to turn itself to an agent of harassment and intimidation against the government of Ekiti State, acting on every frivolous petition.”
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