Buhari is not serious about prosecuting Oke, Lawal, says PDP Chieftain
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday failed to arraign Ayo Oke and his wife over corruption allegations preferred against them.
The former head of the Nigeria Intelligence Agency, Ayodele Oke, and his wife, Folashade, on Friday could not go on as the defendants failed to present themselves to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
While this failure has generated disbelieve, a chieftain of the opposition party, Solomon Edeke has alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari is not serious about prosecuting anyone who is not in the opposition.
Reacting to the development on Friday, Edeke said it was not surprising that Buhari did not unleash the powers of the state to bring Oke and his wife to court.
“I am not surprised that Oke and his wife did not appear for purported arraignment today. President Buhari is not serious about prosecuting anyone who is with his government. Like the APC Chairman said, once in APC, your sins are forgiven. The EFCC only wanted to cover up and give impression that they are fighting corruption. But they are only witch-hunting the opposition”
The EFCC charged Babachir David Lawal, former secretary of the Government of the Federation and Ambassador Ayo Oke, former director-general of the National Intelligence Agency with various fraud charges.
Oke’s wife, Folashade was also charged.
In Abuja, Lawal was charged at the Federal High Court, along with his companies, Rholavision Engineering Limited and Josmon Technologies Limited with 10 counts over contracts executed by the companies, including an N272million contract for the removal of invasive plant species at an IDP camp in Maiduguri.
Both Lawal and Oke were sacked in October 2017 by President Muhammadu Buhari following a report of investigations by a panel headed by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo into allegations of fraud levelled against them in 2017.
In Lagos, Ambassador Ayo Oke and his wife, Mrs Folashade are facing fraud charges over the sums of $43,449,947, £27,800 and N23,218,000 recovered by the EFCC from Flat 7B, No. 16, Osborne Road, Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos south West Nigeria
The charge against Oke and his wife reads as thus:
Ambassador Ayo Oke and wife, Folashade, also charged*That you Ambassador Ayodele Oke, Mrs Folashade Ayodele Oke, on or about the 12th day of April, 2017 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court indirectly conceal the sum of $43,449,947.00, property of the Federal Government of Nigeria in Flat 7B, No. 16, Osborne Road, Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Amendment Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.
*That you, Ambassador Ayodele Oke and Mrs. Folashade Ayodele Oke, between 25th day of August, 2015 and 2nd day of September, 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court indirectly used the sum of $1, 658, 000.00 property of the Federal Government of Nigeria to acquire Flat 7B, No. 16, Osborne Road, Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Amendment Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.
*That you, Ambassador Ayodele Oke, between the 25th day of August 2015 and 2nd day of September 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court directly converted the sum of $160, 777, 136. 85, property of the Federal Government of Nigeria to your own use which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Amendment Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act”.