The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has submitted a notice of withdrawal in an attempt to end its appeal against a Kogi high court judgement prohibiting the organisation from detaining the state’s former governor, Yahaya Bello.
The EFCC stated in the notice dated April 22 that the withdrawal is based on the fact that the appeal has been superseded by events.
The appeal was lodged after the legally permitted period, the commission also acknowledged.
“The appellant herein intends to and do hereby wholly withdraw her appeal against the respondent in the above-mentioned appeal,” the notice reads.
“This notice of withdrawal is predicated on the fact that on the 17th of April 2024, the application filed by the appellant herein was overtaken by the decision of the same high court of Kogi state.
“The orders made ex parte by Jamil on the 9th of February 2024 in said suit which is the subject of this appeal, was made to last pending the hearing and determination of the originating motion on notice which was finally determined by Jamil on the 17th April 2024.
“Furthermore, the notice of appeal was filed out of time and we, therefore, pray that the appeal be struck out for being filed out of time and incompetent.”
Recall that Yahaya Bello, on February 8, instituted a fundamental rights enforcement suit, asking the court to declare that “the incessant harassment, threats of arrest and detention, negative press releases, malicious prosecution” of the EFCC, “without any formal invitation, is politically motivated and interference with his right to liberty, freedom of movement, and fair hearing”.
The former governor also sought an order “restraining the respondent by themselves, their agents, servants or privies from continuing to harass, threaten to arrest or detain him”.
On February 9, the Kogi high court granted an interim injunction restraining the EFCC from “continuing to harass, threaten to arrest, detain, prosecute Bello, his former appointees, and his staff or family members, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive originating motion for the enforcement of his fundamental rights”.
On March 12, the EFCC filed an appeal against the interim injunction because the court could not stop the commission from carrying out its statutory responsibility.
The Kogi high court delivered judgment on the substantive motion on notice on April 17 wherein Isa Jamil Abdullahi, the presiding judge, granted an order restraining the EFCC “from continuing to harass, threaten to arrest or detain Bello”.
However, Abdullahi directed the commission to file a charge against Bello before an appropriate court if it had reasons to do so.
The judgment coincided with the recent “siege” laid on the Abuja residence of Bello by EFCC operatives seeking to arrest him.
The commission had also obtained a warrant of arrest against the former governor from the federal high court in Abuja.
The EFCC is seeking to arraign Bello on 19 counts bordering on alleged money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80.2 billion.
At the scheduled arraignment on April 18, Bello was absent.
At the court session, Abdulwahab Mohammed, counsel to Bello, told Emeka Nwite, the presiding judge, that the court lacked jurisdiction to grant the warrant of arrest in the first instance.
He referenced the February 9 interim injunction issued by the Kogi high court, adding that the appeal filed by the EFCC is still pending.
Mungo G
July 23, 2018 at 7:16 pm
This man Lambert is now in Uganda he has a company called Development channel wich is selling fake tablet to innocent people who think that they are investing their money. If u can inform Uganda government to stop him
Smallbornes
July 30, 2018 at 3:58 pm
True but how does Ugandan government get to him when he is busy praising museveni
Stella Amutos
July 30, 2018 at 4:27 pm
Ds man is busy duping Ugandans seriously plz let d responsible authorities get ds man
Ocen Joshua
July 28, 2018 at 9:00 am
Please Let the Nigerian and Ugandan government work together for the arrest And prosecution of Charles (Dukwe now Lambert in Uganda) He Is Now Frauding Ugandans With A Ponsi Scheme Called Africas First Economic War Under The So Called Development Channel.
Tia
August 3, 2018 at 6:35 am
Am laughing my head off this idiot has defrauded many Ugandans and myself inclussivse his craftness though is high standard he tries to give you a picture that his program is real not until u hear him talking.. He only bubbles nusty words abusive language is what he uses always… Oh Charles Lambert the Lord will punish you. Quit Uganda we are done
cka
August 6, 2018 at 10:57 pm
As a Nigerian Myself i have questioned this man business scheme, but some of my brothers wont listen to me , when on doing their so called investment , or they fail to listen to me because i was from North eastern Nigeria, but one thing remains whatever dirty deals he makes here in Uganda , the smell will remain on us the bonified Nigerian. stay away from this man ..he has bad image in his home country and other African countries
Tusiime Godwin
August 16, 2018 at 9:33 pm
Many Ugandans a likely to be victims to this man , what annoys me is the security can’t do any move to save our people , to the extent his using our President’s photos on his building offices esp bukoto , wc is blackmailing people think ing that they dealing with legit man
keysha
August 21, 2018 at 8:50 am
We are done but for God and my country in Uganda he will not escape Gods purnishement which even his grand grand children will witness
Kismaruba Johnny
November 29, 2018 at 11:01 am
My God have mercy on all of you Africans especially does of you writing this rubbish to tarnish the image of Charles Lambert.
It is true that Africans have achieved political independent , but you are still a slave to western in your mind. economically your Africans are still depending on their colonies while having abundant resources in disposal because they don’t know how to harness it for their use.
Now here comes a man with large vision that will liberate the entire Africa fro economic slavery, but lack patience and selfishness and lack of investment culture is denying from seen the future ahead of you. A man who is a scammer cannot reveal to you his full identity and his family. Charles Lambert full identity to his own village is publish in internet, in all the brochures of the company. he has never plan to scam anybody, the concept he is introducing to Africa is strange to them, and strange to the government itself.
i ought you to face your business give him change to unveil the plans he has for you. if you you don’t stop writing against Charles Lambert, sooner or later you will regret your actions. you will come trembling and begging for forgiveness. all writers we are fishing out your data one by one, you will answer to your crime very soon
NNEKA LINDA ILONZO
July 13, 2019 at 6:43 pm
Every thing you just vomited here is rubbish…since 2013 that he introduced his project called Grey and Strong, has anyone benefited from it? If yes, lets hear from the beneficiary. Sadly, I was also used by Duke an co to defraud unsuspecting individuals by registering them for grey and Strong package. This is 2019, nothing so far.