N11bn loan scam: Police seek court’s nod to interrogate Saraki

[MrVan]

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA — A Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday, said it never granted an interim injunction restraining the Inspector General of Police, his officers or agents from arresting the former governor of Kwara State, Senator Bukola Saraki, over his alleged involvement in an N11billion loan scam.

Presiding Justice Gladys Olotu who made the disclosure on a day the Acting IGP Mohammed Abubakar, urged the court to okay the lawmaker for interrogation, equally slated May 22 to hear a counter-affidavit the Police filed against Saraki, yesterday.

Following an invitation extended to him by the police, the embattled lawmaker who is currently representing Kwara Central Senatorial District, went before the court with an ex-parte, seeking to bar the security agency from infringing on his fundamental human rights.

His counsel, Mr Lawal Rabana, Saraki, Tuesday, adduced reasons why the ex-parte motion should be granted in favour of his client. However, Justice Olotu, yesterday, stressed that she not only declined to grant the request, but ordered the applicant to serve Police with a copy of the motion on notice attached to the court processes.

The judge said the rationale behind the order was to afford Police the oppurtunity to defend itself over its alleged plans to abridge the fundamental rights of the applicant.

When the case was called up yesterday, counsel to the Police, Mr Femi Falana, told the court that he brought a counter affidavit to challenge the legal propriety of Saraki's application.

In the said affidavit, deposed to by a Superintendent of Police, Special Fraud Unit, Mr Akinbayo Olasoji, the Police maintained that the lawmaker used his former office as the governor of Kwara State and influenced the purchase of Joy Petroleum Ltd, Dicetrade Ltd and Likam Nig. Ltd. stocks by the Kwara State Ministry of Finance.

Police further alleged that Saraki had on several occasions, used his personal property to guarantee loans that were taken by the aforementioned companies.

It revealed that the names in the documentations of the bank included the wife of Saraki, Toyin, as well as that of the former Commissioner of Finance and current governor of the state, Abdufattah Ahmed.

Consequently, it prayed the court to dismiss Saraki's application in the interest of justice.

Meanwhile, counsel to the former governor, Rabana, yesterday, sought time to study the counter affidavit filed by the Police, saying it contained weighty averments that would require a considered response.

 

Vanguard Nigeria