By CHIDI NKWOPARA

OWERRI — A mild drama played out, yesterday, in an Imo State High Court when the legal team of embattled Deputy Governor, Sir Jude Agbaso, headed by Patrick Ikwueto (SAN), sought to move his client’s ex-parte motion.

This came on a day the embattled deputy governor again called on the police,  Department of State Security, DSS, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and other anti-graft agencies in the country to thoroughly investigate the alleged N458 million bribe leveled against him.

Agbaso had approached the court presided over by Hon. Justice Florence Duruoha-Igwe, to press home his fundamental right to fair hearing when Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN) surfaced and challenged jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter.

Replying, Agbaso’s lawyer explained that they were in court to ask for an order for substituted service on the other parties, stressing that the court had ample jurisdiction to make an order for substituted service.

“The issue of serving court processes is fundamental and cannot be compromised or waived. Personal service on the lawmakers would be very difficult unless served on the Clerk of the House,” Ikwueto said.

He described as “very interesting” that some of the expected parties had their counsel in court, even without being served, pointing out that since the parties were now aware of the impending suit, they should be made to maintain the status quo.

On the issue of jurisdiction, Ikwueto argued that no third party could rule on it except the court itself, adding that “this case deals with a criminal matter, investigated by the lawmakers instead of the relevant bodies established by law.”

Before adjourning the matter to March 27, 2013, for definite hearing, Justice Duruoha-Igwe struck out the motion filed by the lawmakers represented by Akintola for being incompetent.

The court approved Agbaso’s prayer for substituted service, as well as ordered that the respondents be put on notice, adding that the ninth respondent knew when a matter was subjudice

Meanwhile, the deputy governor,  Sir Jude Agbaso, has again called on the EFCC and other security agencies to probe the N458 million bribe levelled against him.

Agbaso, who made call when he played host to some Owerri-based newspaper publishers, also said he  suspected  a grand conspiracy and foul-play in the whole saga.

“I have written a formal letter to the Director of State Security Service in Imo State to investigate my call logs to show if I gave the account details as alleged by Joseph Dina of JPROS International”, Agbaso said.