Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has told the Abuja division of the Federal High Court that it declared the Hope Democratic Party (HDP) presidential candidate, Ambrose Owuru, wanted over fraud charges pending against him in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Counsel to the EFCC, Ibrahim Audu, told Justice Nkeonye Maha that Owuru was evading trial in the criminal case the commission filed against, and or which the EFCC had obtained a warrant of arrest against him from the Port Harcourt division of the court. The commission said the criminal charges against Owuru bordered on obtaining money by false pretence.
Owuru and his party, the HDP, had filed a petition before the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal challenging the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari at the February 23, 2019 election. The petition had been dismissed by the Justice Mohammed Garba led five member tribunal for lacking in merit.
In the present case, Owuru, had sued the Commission for declaring him wanted over an alleged land scam.
In the fundamental rights enforcement suit, Owuru is challenging the legality of being declared wanted by the commission in a July 10, 2018 newspaper publication.
When the case came up, yesterday, counsel for Owuru, Chukwunoyerem Njoku, insisted that the commission had no power to declare anybody wanted without the backing of a court order.
“There is nothing in the exhibit tendered by the respondent (EFCC) that empowers it to make that publication,” Njoku added.
Responding, counsel to the EFCC, Audu said there was also no provision in the Administration of Criminal Justice Act that made a court order a condition precedent to declare a defendant facing criminal charges wanted.