Court dismisses suit against Lagos Trade Fair Complex director, four others

JUSTICE Kudirat Jose of the Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja has dismissed a criminal charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against the Executive Director, Lagos International Trade Fair Complex Management Board (LITFCMB), Mr. Bassey Eyamba and four others, following the application to discontinue same.

Eyamba alongside Okafor Eunice, Francis Dajilak, Okocha Lazarus and kolo Barnabas were arraigned by the anti-graft agency in 2013 on a 20 count charge bordering on conspiracy to steal and stealing over N50 million.

But in a preliminary objection filed by their counsel, Mr. John Kalu, the defendants prayed the court for an order dismissing or striking out the charge for want of jurisdiction on the ground that it is premature, an abuse of court process, incompetent and ultra vires to the powers of the EFCC.

Their counsel also prayed the court for an order for compensation in the sum of N500million for the unlawful detention and malicious prosecution of the defendants.

However, the EFCC on March 4, 2015 filed a notice to discontinue the criminal proceedings. The notice, brought pursuant to Section 172 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law No 11, Laws of Lagos state 2011 was attached with eight paragraph affidavit and a letter of discontinuance signed by the Attorney General of the Federation, Bello Adoke SAN. In an affidavit sworn to by EFCC counsel Anslem Ozioko, the anti-graft agency said: “That the present criminal information, to wit: Charge No: ID/239c/2013 filed against the defendants before this honourable court on 12th July, 2013 and trial has commenced, that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice entered a nolle prosequi to discontinue this prosecution.”