….You all have a case to answer-  EFCC

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
Four ex-helmsmen of the Nigerian Football Federation, Mr Taiwo Ogunjobi, Sani Lulu, Uchegbulam Amanze and Bolaji Ojo-Oba, yesterday, told a federal high court sitting in Abuja, that they would only explain the alleged roles they played in the mismanagement of about N1.3 billion belonging to the football house, whenever they are summoned by the Federation of International Football Association, FIFA.

The quartet who also challenged the authority of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to initiate criminal proceeding against them, insisted that it was only the FIFA’s Court or Arbitration in Sports, CAS, that has the original jurisdiction to prosecute them over such allegations that were raised against them.

Consequently, counsels to all the accused persons took-turns yesterday to urge trial Justice Donatus Okorowo to hands-off their case, or in the alternative, quash the entire 10-count criminal charge preferred against them by the anti-graft agency.

The defence team, which was led yesterday by Chief Akim Olujimi, SAN and Mr Sunday Ameh, SAN, while arguing preliminary objections they filed against the suit, also contended that the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, never authorized the EFCC to charge the matter to court, adding that some of the charges were baseless and should be quashed.

Meantime, the EFCC yesterday described their argument as arrant balderdash, maintaining that the proof of evidence uncovered against them indicated that they each have a criminal case to answer before the court.

Counsel to the commission, Chief Titus Ashaolu, SAN, while arguing a counter-affidavit he filed in opposition to their preliminary objections, averred that it was ridiculous for the accused persons to insist on being prosecuted by FIFA over an offence they committed against the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He relied on the decided case of Ray Nnaji Vs the NFA, to urge the trial Judge to dismiss the objections and go ahead with hearing the substantive suit against them.

“It is ridiculous and an aberration for the accused persons to claim that they can only be prosecuted by FIFA for an offence they committed in Nigeria. They however forgot that it was the same Nigerian law that made it possible for them to operate in the capacity they were before.

“They must prove before this court that FIFA law has been domesticated in Nigeria. The onus is on them and until they discharge that onus they will be prosecuted under the relevant Nigerian laws they contravened.

“Moreover, section 12 of the 1999 constitution made them subjects to the Nigerian law. Their objection is totally useless, incompetent and should be accordingly dismissed”, he added.

After listening to submissions from both sides yes-