EFCC case: Tompolo blows hot; blasts judge, makes fresh demand

– Tompolo presents appeal record to the EFCC

– Blasts Justice in charge of the case of erring

– Demands a new handler for the case

Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo) demanded a new justice to handle his case before the court of appeal.

Former Niger Delta militant leader, Government Ekemupolo, aka Tompolo, has slammed the judge handling his case, stating that he erred.

The Nation reports that Tompolo, who spoke through his counsel, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, confirmed that he has served the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with his record of appeal.

The counsel stated further that EFCC’s response to the appeal is being awaited after his client had filed his appellant’s brief of argument on March 11 against the order of the federal high court for his arrest made on January 14.

READ ALSO: Okerenko Hospital shutdown as Government hunts Tompolo

The ex-militant had on January 27, filed an application to set the warrant of arrest aside, but Justice Ibrahim Buba, who was handling the case, dismissed it.

In a fresh statement by Adegboruwa, it was gathered that a compilation has been made of a record of appeal, in demonstration of Tompolo’s desire to have the appeal heard and determined expeditiously, and forwarded to the Court of Appeal, Lagos division on March 3.

His statement read: “The prosecutor, that is the EFCC, has been duly served with the said record of appeal.

Tompolo presents record of appeal before EFCC.

“In further demonstration of his commitment to the rule of law and due process, Tompolo filed his Appellant’s Brief of Argument, through the law firms of Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa on March 11, 2016, thus activating the judicial process for the prompt and effective determination of the said appeal.

“The consequence of this in law is that Tompolo’s case is now before the Court of Appeal, with the concomitant effect that the trial Federal High Court will willingly cede jurisdiction over Tompolo’s case to the Court of Appeal since the appeal has now been entered, while Tompolo and his team of lawyers await the response of the EFCC to file their respondent’s brief so that the appeal can proceed to hearing timeously.”

While accusing the justice of erring in law over his refusal to set aside the warrant of arrest issued against him, Tompolo said that there was no evidence to show that he had been notified of the summons and the criminal charge pending against him.

READ ALSO: Police withdraws Tompolo’s security aides

The Niger Delta warlord also complained that the learned judge should have ascertained that the EFCC duly complied with the order for substituted service, by posting the charge at the correct address.

His latest demand is for the Court of Appeal to set aside the warrant for his arrest and vacate all subsequent proceedings emanating from the ‘flawed’ process of the criminal charge, asking that the charge against him be transferred from Justice Buba to another judge of the federal high court.

The case is slated for hearing before Justice Buba on March 22.

Meanwhile, Tompolo, currently on the run from operatives of the EFCC has accused leaders of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) in the Niger Delta as the architects of his travails at the hand of the antigraft agency.

According to Vanguard, Tompolo’s accusations was sequel to a statement credited to former labour leader and APC chieftain, Chief Frank Kokori, in which the latter cautioned Tompolo to come out to face the EFCC.

In a statement through his media adviser, Paul Bebenimibo, Tompolo accused the APC leaders instigating Buhari and security agencies with unfounded information that he (Tompolo) is preparing to fight the federal government by destroying pipelines and other oil facilities in the Niger Delta region.

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