SUPREME COURT APPROVES EXTRADITION OF EX-NSPM BOSS EMMANUEL OKOYOMON TO UK OVER BRIBERY CASE
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Supreme Court on Friday approved the extradition of former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC), Emmanuel Okoyomon, to the United Kingdom to face bribery charges.
In a unanimous judgment, a five-member panel of the apex court dismissed Okoyomon’s appeal challenging the June 6, 2016 decision of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which had earlier upheld an order permitting his extradition.
The Court of Appeal had affirmed a Federal High Court ruling delivered on May 4, 2015, which granted the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) permission to extradite Okoyomon to the UK for trial.
Delivering the lead judgment of the Supreme Court, Justice Emmanuel Agim (read by Justice Mohammed Idris) held that the appellant failed to establish any sufficient grounds to overturn the concurrent decisions of the lower courts.
The apex court agreed that Nigeria has obligations under the London Scheme for Extradition within the Commonwealth to surrender persons accused of extraditable offences to requesting member countries, including the United Kingdom.
It further held that the arguments raised by Okoyomon did not demonstrate any miscarriage of justice or violation of his right to fair hearing that would warrant overturning the earlier rulings.
According to the court, issues raised regarding his citizenship status and procedural complaints did not materially affect the validity of the extradition order.
The panel concluded that the appeal lacked merit and was therefore dismissed, although no order for costs was made against the appellant.
Okoyomon is being sought by UK authorities over allegations of bribery involving officials linked to the Central Bank of Nigeria, the NSPMC, and Securency International Pty of Australia.
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