The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has revealed why it is still holding in its custody, a former Deputy Governor of Osun State, and the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2014 election in the state,Iyiola Omisore.
The anti-graft commission gave the reason in a counter-affidavit it filed before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory opposing Omisore’s bail application.
It stated that the former senator was still being investigated for money running into hundreds of millions of naira which he allegedly received from the then National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).
An EFCC’s investigator, Kassim Yusuf, who deposed to the counter-affidavit, stated that Omisore had no justification for receiving the money.
Yusuf stated, “Investigation so far carried out, reveals that the applicant received hundreds of millions of naira from the office of the National Security Adviser, with nothing to show for it.
“In the course of interviewing the applicant, he has mentioned names of persons and companies through which monies from the office of the National Security Adviser got to him.
“There is a need for those persons and companies mentioned by the applicant to make some clarification.
“If the applicant is granted bail, he will interfere with witnesses and he will also prejudice and frustrate our ongoing investigation.”
Yusuf stated that Omisore received the funds through the account of Firmex Gilt Ltd.’s bank account domiciled in United Bank for Africa.
The suspect was said to be the sole signatory to the account.
He was also said to have received several payments through the account of Sylvan Menamara Ltd. with Diamond Bank Plc.
The investigator also stated that his agency had evidence of Omisore in the suspicious e-payment schedules, statements of the account and signatory mandate card.
He stated that the commission was “ investigating cases of alleged payments made by the office of immediate past National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.) to individuals and companies, with nothing to show for it.
“In one of the alleged cases which the 1st respondent (EFCC) is investigating, the name of the applicant (Omisore) featured prominently as a sole signatory to Firmex Gilt Limited’s bank account domiciled in United Bank for Africa Plc.
“A copy of a letter to UBA, forwarding signatory mandate card and statement of account of Firmex Gilt Ltd.is hereby attached.
“Several payments were also made by the office of the immediate past National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.) into the bank account of Sylvan Menamara Ltd. domiciled in Diamond Bank, with nothing to show for it.
“Copies of e-payment schedules from ONSA and statement of accounts of Sylvan Menamara Ltd. are hereby attached.
“From Sylvan Menamara Ltd.’s Diamond Bank account, the sum of N160m was deposited into the said account on 4th August, 2014 by the then NSA.
“This sum was subsequently transferred into the Firmex Gilt Ltd.’s bank account domiciled in UBA Plc on 8th August, 2014.”
Yusuf stated that Omisore’s arrest and detention were lawful as they were backed by court orders.
He also stated that the commission was planning to invite a number of the ex-deputy governor’s associates, who he named during interrogation.
The EFCC had on July 3 arrested Omisore in relation to about N1.3bn of the Office of the NSA’s fund traced to him.
He subsequently filed the bail application before Justice Olukayode Adeniyi, seeking an order releasing him from custody.
But opposing the application on Thursday, EFCC’s lawyer, Takon Ndifon, argued that the fundamental rights enforcement suit initially filed before the court by Omisore was merely intended to frustrate his investigation.
Ndifon said Omisore was invited by the EFCC on April 11, in relation to the investigation, but promised to honour the invitation on April 14.
He said, “Instead of honouring the invitation in line with his rescheduled date of April 14, 2016, he came and misled this court by obtaining an order of interim injunction restraining the 1st respondent (EFCC) from unlawfully arresting and detaining him without following the due process of law.”
Ndifon said the anti-graft agency, in compliance with the law, obtained a warrant of arrest and remand warrant “to keep the applicant in its custody for 14 days pending the conclusion of its investigation and the arraignment of the applicant in court.”
The lawyer also picked holes in Omisore’s claim of being ill.
According to him, Omisore did not mention any ailment in his motion and that he also failed to establish that his purported ailment could not be treated in the country.
He said, “We further submit that, based on the applicant’s antecedent, if he is granted bail, he will abscond and he will never willingly present himself to the 1ts respondent for arraignment before any court of law.”
While moving his client’s bail application, Chris Uche (SAN), urged the court to grant bail to the former senator, arguing that his (Omisore’s) current detention was illegal.
He said since the court had restrained the EFCC from arresting his client, his current detention had flouted the law.
Uche also said his client’s ill health required that he be released from custody and allowed to seek medical attention outside the country.
Justice Adeniyi fixed Friday for ruling.
(Punch)
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