THE Economic And Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will today
re-arraign the immediate past governor of Ogun State, Chief Gbenga
Daniel.
Two weeks ago, the EFCC announced that it had re-filed a 38-count charge against the former governor.
These new charges, according to the records of an Abeokuta High Court, consisted of charges taken from the White Paper issued on the ongoing land commission of inquiry set up by Governor Ibikunle Amosun.
Other charges were on alleged failure to declare assets and receipt of some money by a company, which Daniel was known to have interest.
However, unlike the quashed charges where the EFCC claimed Daniel stole N58 billion, the monetary value in the current charges is about N200 million.
There is a twist, however, in the current re-arraignment, as the EFFC, in a deposition made to counter the fresh bail application submitted by lawyers representing Daniel, led by Professor Taiwo Osipitan, will argue that the former governor should not be granted bail.
According to the counter-affidavit, “the EFCC has a lot of reservations on the release of the applicant and the implication on its witnesses, as most of the witnesses are very afraid of their lives and that of their families as they are all attesting to the fact that the applicant has always maintained a killer squad who are ready to hunt down and silence every perceived enemy.”
The EFCC will also make reference to the circumstances surrounding the death of Apagun Oluwole Olumide.
While police reports and other evidence point to suicide as the cause of death of the Egba High Chief, some forces, according to sources close to the former governor, may have influenced the officials of the EFCC to get the former governor incarcerated at all costs, using the death of Apagun as a basis.
According to the source, “after filing the new charges about 10 days earlier, some operatives of the agency and its lawyers suddenly made a dramatic appearance at the Ogun State High Court on Friday, April 13.
“Their mission was to insert a new motion and charges opposing bail on the supposition that the former governor may threaten prosecution witnesses. The latest move is at the behest of two distinct groups which are working together for the common goal of caging the former governor at all costs. There are fears among associates of the former governor that he may eventually be eliminated in detention.”
Responding, however, Daniel, in a text message, said: “All considered, I am now persuaded that EFCC's Rotimi Jacobs Esq is going beyond the normal call of duty and now part of a sinister motive to collude with Ibikunle Amosun and others to physically eliminate me in detention.
“Please inform all that as I am being re-arraigned in court on Monday (today), I insist that no dime of Ogun State funds is missing, not to talk of stolen. I committed no offence but only a victim of the worst form of political persecution in our land.”
Two weeks ago, the EFCC announced that it had re-filed a 38-count charge against the former governor.
These new charges, according to the records of an Abeokuta High Court, consisted of charges taken from the White Paper issued on the ongoing land commission of inquiry set up by Governor Ibikunle Amosun.
Other charges were on alleged failure to declare assets and receipt of some money by a company, which Daniel was known to have interest.
However, unlike the quashed charges where the EFCC claimed Daniel stole N58 billion, the monetary value in the current charges is about N200 million.
There is a twist, however, in the current re-arraignment, as the EFFC, in a deposition made to counter the fresh bail application submitted by lawyers representing Daniel, led by Professor Taiwo Osipitan, will argue that the former governor should not be granted bail.
According to the counter-affidavit, “the EFCC has a lot of reservations on the release of the applicant and the implication on its witnesses, as most of the witnesses are very afraid of their lives and that of their families as they are all attesting to the fact that the applicant has always maintained a killer squad who are ready to hunt down and silence every perceived enemy.”
The EFCC will also make reference to the circumstances surrounding the death of Apagun Oluwole Olumide.
While police reports and other evidence point to suicide as the cause of death of the Egba High Chief, some forces, according to sources close to the former governor, may have influenced the officials of the EFCC to get the former governor incarcerated at all costs, using the death of Apagun as a basis.
According to the source, “after filing the new charges about 10 days earlier, some operatives of the agency and its lawyers suddenly made a dramatic appearance at the Ogun State High Court on Friday, April 13.
“Their mission was to insert a new motion and charges opposing bail on the supposition that the former governor may threaten prosecution witnesses. The latest move is at the behest of two distinct groups which are working together for the common goal of caging the former governor at all costs. There are fears among associates of the former governor that he may eventually be eliminated in detention.”
Responding, however, Daniel, in a text message, said: “All considered, I am now persuaded that EFCC's Rotimi Jacobs Esq is going beyond the normal call of duty and now part of a sinister motive to collude with Ibikunle Amosun and others to physically eliminate me in detention.
“Please inform all that as I am being re-arraigned in court on Monday (today), I insist that no dime of Ogun State funds is missing, not to talk of stolen. I committed no offence but only a victim of the worst form of political persecution in our land.”
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