Court Stops Senate from Investigating Lamorde over Alleged Unremiited Funds

A former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) , Ibrahim Lamorde, has secured temporary relief as Justice Gabriel Kolawole of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja stopped the Senate from going ahead with his probe over an allegation that he failed to remit to the government several billions of naira recovered as proceeds of corruption.

The Senate had summoned the former EFCC boss to hear his side over these un remitted monies seized from some alleged corrupt public servants but rather than honour the invitation of the lawmakers, Lamorde rushed to the court to stop his probe.

In a motion exparte dated March 7th, 2016, Lamorde asked the court through his counsel, Festus Ukpue, to stop the Senate from issuing a warrant of arrest of his client pending the hearing and determination of the suit before the court.
Without hearing the Senate, Justice Kolawole stopped the upper legislative chamber from proceeding with the investigation against Lamorde.

Justice Kolawole, after listening to the motion ordered, “That a limited order on injunction is hereby granted to restrain the defendants pending when they are heard on the reply to the plaintiff’s motion on notice.

“That the plaintiff’s counsel is hereby directed to obtain a certified true copy of the order in this ruling, and shall cause same to be served on the Inspector-General of Police who shall, on the authority of this court’s order refrain to give any effect to any such warrant which the defendants may have issued against the plaintiff on the simple judicial principle of lis pendens”.


Thisday reportage