Thegavel.com.ng reported, this morning, that the suspended EFCC Prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo, filed and signed a 14 count Charge against two accused persons in respect of the 2018 election of the Nigerian Bar Association.
Courtroom Mail recalls that on the 28th of January 2020, the Federal High court dismissed the case filed by one of the contestants, Arthur Obi-Okafor who challenged the election.
According to the Gavel, “the charges were filed on May 5, 2020 and signed by EFCC prosecutors led by Mr Rotimi Oyedepo Iseoluwa. Other prosecutors are Bilikisu Buhari Bala, Usman Umar Buhari, Mohammed Abbas Omeiza, Suleiman I. Suleiman, and Kufre Uduak on behalf of the Executive Chairman of EFCC.”
Some officials of the NBA have confirmed that they heard the news this morning for the first time.
The intention behind the publication is still unknown as the Legal community questions a lot of loopholes in the story including why the news was reported today if it was actually filed on the 5th of May 2020. This is against the background that it was neither reported by any mainstream media nor reported in the EFCC news website which is usual with EFCC cases.
Preliminary investigation cannot confirm that a suit was indeed filed on the 5th of May (the first day of work after the Lockdown). As the inquiry continues to uncover the intent and purpose of the publication, Courtroom Mail can confirm that the EFCC has been investigating the outcome of the 2018 election of the Nigerian Bar Association which was conducted online in August and those who lost in the election had alleged manipulation. There is no confirmation as to whether the commission continued after the court delivered a ruling dismissing a civil case filed by Arthur Obi-Okafor.
As at the time the Gavel released the news which they published as “Exclusive” and as breaking news by some blogs, Rotimi Oyedepo had been reported by Sahara Reporters to be on suspension following the outcome of the arrest of the former Chairman of the Commission, Ibrahim Magu over allegations of massive financial crimes.
The Gavel reported that the defendant would have been arraigned in court but for the COVID-19 pandemic and its attendant lockdown that affected the courts. This cannot be confirmed at the moment as more investigations are ongoing to determine the truthfulness and motive behind the story which came barely days after the Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos, struck out four of the 10 count charges filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC against Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, Paul Usoro, SAN and two others in the trials on professional fees received by the Law firm of Mr Paul Usoro and 4 other Law Firms.
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