Former Enugu State Chief Judge, Innocent Umezuluike, yesterday was arraigned by The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) before a State High Court in Enugu for alleged corruption.
Umezuluike appeared before Justice Anthony Onovo on a onecount charge
of using his office to confer corrupt and unfair advantage. He is
accused of receiving N10 million as donation from wealthy businessman
Arthur Eze in February 2014, at a time Eze was a litigant in a pending
and concluded civil matter before the former chief judge.
Eze, Chief Executive Officer of Oranto Petroleum LTD, according to the
EFCC,made the donation at the launch of Umezuluike’s book “ABC of
Contemporary Land Law in Nigeria.” The anti-graft agency said the money
was drawn from the account of Oranto Patroleum LTD and paid into
Umezuluike’s Zenith Bank account. The counsel to the commission, Wahab
Shittu, told the court that the action is contrary to Section 19 of the
Independent and Corrupt Practices and Other Related (offence) Act (Laws
of the Federation) 2000.
The former chief judge, however, pleaded not guilty to the one-count
charge. However,Umezuluike’s lawyer, Agu Gab-Agu, asked the court to
grant him bail on self recognizance and to address him as “Honourable
Justice”.
He argued that the former chief judge was granted bail on self
recognizance in a similar matter pending before the Federal High Court
in Port Harcourt. The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Shittu, did not object to
the bail request, but pleaded with the court for accelerated trial of
the case. Justice Onovo granted the former chief judge bail in the sum
of N1 million and ordered that he be addressed as Justice Umezuluike
during the trial.
The case was adjourned by the judge till October 26-27, and
November 2-3, 2017, for definite hearing.
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