Court orders Kebbi ex-gov to reappear or face arrest over N700 million graft

A Federal High Court in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, has given former governor Usman Nasamu Dakingari till July 12, 2018 to appear before it or be issued a warrant of arrest.

The Guardian learnt that Dakingari and three others-Garba Rabiu Kamba, Sunday Dogonyaro and Abdullahi Yelwa- were facing a 15 count charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged conspiracy and receipt of N700m from former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison Madueke for the 2015 general elections.

He and three other defendants were to appear in court yesterday but only Garba Rabiu Kamba was in court.

In his argument, EFCC’s lead prosecutor, Ojogbane Johnson, asked the court to issue a warrant of arrest on Dakingari, as he had frustrated earlier attempts to summon him to court, but having listened to the defendants’ lead counsel’s plea, Justice Simon Amobeda refused the application.

The lead counsel, Ibrahim Muhammed, had earlier filed a preliminary injunction and bail application for Dakingari.

He alleged that the prosecutor did not comply with the court’s directive that he must be given seven days to appear in court after the summon was served.

But the prosecutor opposed it, saying he needed to appear in court before making such a plea.

The judge dismissed the defendants’ counsel’s preliminary injunction, saying it lacked merit and that provisions of ICJA was superior the high court directive.

The prosecutor argued that section 394 of the ICJA should be applied since he was served the court summon, but refused to appear in court.

He appealed for a bench warrant of arrest against Dakingari and the other defendants.

However, his counsel pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy and prayed the court to allow his clients to report on July 2, 2018.

Having dismissed the prosecutor’s application for bench arrest warrant against Dakingari and the two other defendants, Justice Amobeda adjourned hearing on the case to July 2.