No hiding place for Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo) as Court renews arrest warrant

Justice Ibrahim Buba of a Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday rejected the plea to set aside the bench warrant issued on January 14 against a former Niger Delta militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo.

The judge, in a bench ruling, said the warrant of arrest issued against Tompolo still stood and ordered all the law enforcement agencies in the country to ensure that Tompolo was produced before him on February 19.

Tompolo is wanted by the court over an alleged N34bn fraud, which he allegedly perpetrated in conjunction with nine others.

He is to be arraigned along with his alleged accomplices on 40 counts filed against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

His alleged accomplices include the immediate-past Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Patrick Akpobolokemi.

Tompolo’s accomplice the immediate-past Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Patrick Akpobolokemi in court this morning. Video: Saheed Olugbon/PUNCH

Others are Kime Engozu, Rex Elem, Gregory Mbonu and Capt. Warredi Enisuoh.

The suspects were charged along with four companies, namely: Global West Vessel Specialist Limited, Odimiri Electrical Limited, Boloboere Property and Estate Limited and Destre Consult Limited.

The suspects were accused of diverting and converting to their personal use a sum of N34bn belonging to NIMASA.

The offence, according to EFCC, is contrary to Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and were liable to punishment under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.

The suspects were supposed to have been arraigned on January 14, but Tompolo had shunned a court’s summons dated January 12 to appear, leading the judge to issuing a bench warrant against him.

The judge had ordered that Tompolo should be produced before him on Monday.

But rather than come to court, Tompolo, through his lawyer, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), brought an application urging the judge to set aside the arrest warrant issued against him.

While arguing the application, Oyetibo claimed that his client had not been properly served with the charge sheet and the summons.

He claimed that though the court granted the EFCC an order for substituted service, the anti-graft agency only pasted the charge sheet and summons at a wrong address.

He urged the court to rule that his client had not been served and that the bench warrant ought not to have been issued.

Oyetibo also argued that the Federal Government did not obtain the leave of the court to change its designation on the charge sheet from plaintiff to complainant.

But Justice Buba dismissed the application, noting that Oyetibo was in court because he was briefed by Tompolo, and such Tompolo could not claim that he was not aware of the charge pending against him.

The judge described as frivolous the argument that the Federal Government did not first seek the leave of the court before amending its status from plaintiff to complainant in the charge and urged counsel not to waste the time of the court on mere technicalities.

He held, “The entire gamut of this application is for the court to set aside the order granting substituted service of the charge.

“The first defendant missed the point completely. The law is that anybody like the EFCC has the power to arrest anyone if it has reasonable belief that such person has committed an offence.

“On January 12 when the application for substituted service was moved, one of the averments was that the applicant was invited by the EFCC to answer to some allegations, but up till today he has not deemed it fit to honour the invitation.

“It is very clear that the order for substituted service is more than justified against a man who has refused to honour lawful invitation by the EFCC.

“Not only is the accused aware of the charge but has further briefed counsel representing him, who on his behalf, demanded for all processes filed.

“Therefore, all the authorities cited on this issue are, with respect, misconceived. Whether served by substituted means or not, the accused is aware of the charge.

“The application challenging service is misconceived same be and is hereby dismissed.

“The order for arrest still subsists. All authorities in Nigeria are hereby further ordered to ensure that the order of this court for the arrest of Ekpemupolo a.k.a Tompolo  is carried out to the letter.”

With The Punch

Dasuki loses bid to stop trial

Former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, who is currently standing trial for his involvement in the $2.1 billion dollars arms procurement scandal, has lost the bid to halt the trial after an Abuja Federal High Court dismissed his application to that effect.

Justice Husseini Baba ruled on Monday that contrary to Dasuki’s allegation, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ‎was not in contempt of its order granting him (Dasuki) bail on December 18, 2015.

Dasuki was re-arrested by the operatives of the Department of State Service on December 29, 2015, shortly after he met the bail conditions and was released by Kuje prison.

Dasuki had, through his motion urged the court to prohibit the EFCC from prosecuting him over an alleged “brazen” disobedience of the orders of court granting him bail.

But Justice Baba held in his ruling on Monday that since it had been confirmed that Dasuki was being held by the Department of State Service, which “is a stranger” in the case, the EFCC which is prosecuting Dasuki and his co-accused could not be said to have violated the bail order.

He ruled that the only option open to the former NSA was to file necessary suit in line with section 46 of the 1999 Constitution for the enforcement of his right to liberty.

After the Monday’s ruling, prosecuting counsel, Mr. Oluwaleke Atolagbe, asked the judge a date for trial to commence, but Dasuki’s lawyer, Mr. Ahmed Raji (SAN), urged the court to give ‎a date long enough to enable the ex-NSA’s lawyer to “tackle the issue of the stranger”.

The judge subsequently adjourned till March 23 for trial.

Dasuki filed the motion with respect to the 19 counts of diversion of N32bn arms funds for which he is being prosecuted along with a former Director of Finance and Administration, Office of the National Security Adviser, Shuaibu Salisu.

The other co-accused are, a former General Manager, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Aminu Babakusa and two companies – Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.

‎The ex-NSA, through his lawyer, Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN), has also filed the same application dated January 11, 2016, before Justice Peter Affen of the same Maitama Division of FCT High Court.

The case before Justice Affen is with respect to the 22 counts of N13bn fraud filed against him and others including a former Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the NSA, Shuaibu Salisu, and a former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda.

Others charged along with them are a former Governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa, the ex-governor’s son, Sagir Attahiru, and a firm, Dalhatu Investment.

Kurt Zouma Out For Six Months

Chelsea Football Club’s medical team have diagnosed that Kurt Zouma sustained an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament during Sunday’s Premier League game against Manchester United.

Kurt will undergo surgery in the next 48 hours and is expected to be out for approximately six months, Channel reported.

Zouma also tweeted, “Scan today has shown I injured my anterior cruciate ligament. I will have surgery this week and will come back stronger.”

The France centre-back has made 32 appearances for Chelsea this term.

The Blues came from behind to earn a point courtesy of Diego Costa’s 91st-minute equaliser after Jesse Lingard had given Man-U the lead in the match played at Stamford Bridge.

Leopard gets into school, injures six

Six people, including a regional television channel cameraman suffered injuries after a leopard strayed into a school in Bengaluru, India, on Sunday.

According to indianexpress.com, efforts to capture the leopard that strayed into the school lasted for ten hours.

The struggle that began in the morning to capture the leopard ended around 8.15pm when the leopard, which was tranquilised around 5pm, finally collapsed.

Rescuers then moved it to Bannerghatta National Park, a distance of about 30 km from the school.

Residents said it was the first time that the animal was sighted in the area.

DCP Dr. S.Boralingaiah said, “It was a long struggle to capture the leopard. Although it was injected with tranquilisers, it was only captured around 8.15pm when the medication took full effect.”

According to the report, the police said some of the injured persons who suffered injuries while trying to inject the tranquiliser into the leopard were out of danger.Rescuers then moved it to Bannerghatta National Park, a distance of about 30 km from the school.

Residents said it was the first time that the animal was sighted in the area.

DCP Dr. S.Boralingaiah said, “It was a long struggle to capture the leopard. Although it was injected with tranquilisers, it was only captured around 8.15pm when the medication took full effect.”

According to the report, the police said some of the injured persons who suffered injuries while trying to inject the tranquiliser into the leopard were out of danger.

WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION IN LIFE?

Many people dream of getting promoted in their jobs. They long for a dream job. Most people I know aspire to be the best where they are. In all areas of life, people have a dream of becoming the best and reaching the pinnacle of their professions. Unfortunately, most of the people who aspire to reach the height of their professions want this just to get more money. In actual fact, excellence should be our motivation.

When we aspire for promotion and desire elevation at our places of work, for the sake of excellence rather than for money, we become better people. Unfortunately, getting more money seems to be the greatest driving force for most people. When you are at the top of your profession just for the money, it does not always mean you are the best you could be.

 “Coach said. “The quality of a man’s life is in direct proportion to his commitment to excellence, regardless of his chosen field of endeavor.” ― Sherman Alexie

When we are driven by the desire to be the best we could be, then excellence becomes the natural fruit of our efforts. Excellence is equal to self-perfection. The desire for excellence therefore is one of the strongest gifts an individual could give to himself. It is better than the gift of money. It supersedes the reward of a salary. In the case of a salary, you may have a fatter wallet but that does not necessarily result in a greater personality. But when you pursue excellence, your capacity is always enhanced. You become better professionally and at a personal level, you become better qualified and skilled and eventually this will affect your income.

“I hope you will simply do what you can do in the best way you know. If you do so, you will witness miracles come to pass.” ― Gordon B. Hinckley

The striving for excellence is one of the most important aspects of professionalism. No one can truly become professional in his or her chosen area without the striving for excellence. When you go after excellence, your focus is not on the salary or finances, even though that must be expected too. Your focus is on putting quality in everything you do. A man of excellence tends to dedicate himself to giving his best into whatever he does. He sees his work as his signature. He puts a stamp of excellence by his integrity into whatever he does.

This is a major game changer between people who strive to attain promotion for money and those who strive for elevation through excellence. When you have excellence as your focus, you become an achiever sooner or later.

By Pastor Sunday Adelaja.