An Abuja Upper Area Court sitting in Gudu, in Nigeria’s
Federal Capital Territory has remanded a 50-year-old false
whistle blower, Ahmed Echodo in prison in connection with the recent raid on
the official Guest House of the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu in
Maitama, Abuja.
Men of the Police had on Friday May 27, raided the House in
controversial circumstances.
They were said to have stormed and searched the building
after which the took the steward, Mr Oliver Ogenyi, whom they met in the
premises to the Inspector General of Police Special Square office in Guzape
District, Abuja. He was later released.
Ekweremadu had raised the alarm at the Senate plenary on May
3, 2017, when he referred his colleagues to anonymous letter to him alleging
that there was a plan by the EFCC to raid buildings associated with him and
plant incriminating items in it under the cover of whistle blower policy.
He further alleged that the proposed raid was to ensure his
arrest, detention and indictment, with the aim of cut short his political
career.
The Deputy Senate President alleged that the mission to move
against him was being sponsored by a cabal in the Presidency.
But police said they were not involved in the raid. The
police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, had denied reports that the police raided the
guest house, saying the Force had nothing to do with the operation.
He said, “I have inquired from all our investigation units
and they all said they did not know about the operation, they did not carry out
the raid, so we are not involved in the raid on the guest house,” he said on
Friday
But yesterday, the force admitted that it was mislead by
Ahmed Echodo and Maiwa Adamu (now at large) in carrying out the operation.
According to the First Information Report (F.I.R), Echodo
who pleaded not guilty to the offence of criminal conspiracy and given false
information to mislead public servant was said to have conspired with Maiwa
Adamu (now at large) to commit the alleged crime.
The offence, according to the Prosecution Police officer,
David Taiwo, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), is contrary to
section 97(1) and 140 of the Penal Code Law.
The F.I.R reads; ” that on May 26, 2017, at about 0900hrs,
you Ahmed Echodo ‘m’ aged 50 years of No. 44, Living Truth Street, Masaaka,
Nassarawa state and one Maiwada Adamu now at large did conspired within
yourself by informing the office of IGP, STS at Guzepe Area of the FCT, Abuja,
that House No. 10 Games Street, Maitama, FCT, Abuja occupied by Oliver Ogenyi
is being maintained and used for criminal activities including keeping of arms
and ammunition. Unfortunately, after the police carried out diligence execution
of the search warrant, no incriminating items were found therein. You by such
action mislead the police and hereby committed the above offence.”
Meantime, the defendant caused a stir in court when asked by
the Judge whether he understood the information against him.
Speaking from the accused box, Echodo challenged the police
to produce either a written or oral information, he made to them that they
claimed to be a false information.
“They (police) have not shown me how the information was
passed to them by me. Was it oral or written? When they went to the house with
Wada, (now at large), I was not there, ” Echodo fumed.
After his plea of not guilty was entered by the court, the
prosecution counsel, Taiwo asked for an adjournment to enable him open his case
against the defendant.
At this stage, counsel to the defendant, Peters Ugwuoke
urged the court to release him on bail pending trial.
He premised his submissions on section 36(5) of the 1999
constitution and sections 198 and 162 of the Administration of Criminal Justice
Act (ACJA), 2015.
Ugwuoke submitted that his client has reasonable sureties
who are ready to stand for him, will not jump bail and interfere with
investigation or trial.
But in opposing the oral bail application, the prosecution
counsel argued that there were no materials placed before the court to warrant
it to exercise it’s discretion in favour of the defendant.
Besides, he submitted that the defendant ought to have
deposed to an affidavit in making such submissions.
After taking arguments for and against the bail application,
the Chief Upper area Court Judge, Umar kagarko directed that the defendant be
remanded in prison custody pending the ruling of his application on June 5,
2017.
Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to the Deputy Senate
President on Media, Mr. Uche Anichukwu, had while speaking on the incident,
said neither Ekweremadu nor any of his aides was informed before the raid was
carried out.
He said, “They did not inform us. Only the steward was
there. They should have, at least, waited for the senior staff to be there but
they just broke into the house and started searching.”
“They didn’t find anything, anyway. They took the steward
away to sign a document that they didn’t find or take anything away.”
Anichukwu added, “The worry is that nobody searched them
before they entered the house; and nobody supervised them when they were
searching (the house). Is that how to search the house of such a highly
politically exposed person? No due process? We see watching and the world is
watching us”
By Godwin Tsa
