EFCC to Ododo, others: Shielding crime suspect is punishable under law
As Nigerians await the Kogi State former governor, Yahaya Bello, appearance in court, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has warned anyone shielding him from complying with two different court orders to immediately distance themselves from Bello to avoid being prosecuted.
The anti-graft agency noted that those shielding him from honouring the court could be dragged before a court for aiding crime in the country.
As gathered, the EFCC was allegedly referring to the Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Ododo, who had been providing the immunity of his office to shield his successor from the anti-graft agency arrest.
EFCC stated this through a statement released yesterday after adding more count charges to the existing ones, revealing that the former governor and two others allegedly converted N110billion public funds into personal use.
The agency said: “Those who harbor a criminal suspect should know that the act is also a criminal offence which is also punishable in law”.
It added that corruption cases were serious criminal offence and should not be turned into a theatre of the absurd by any suspect trying to avoid the court.
“EFCC is eager to engage the former governor in the courtroom where the avalanche of evidence so painstakingly assembled can be presented and arguments marshalled for justice to be served to all parties involved in this saga”.
Corroborating the anti-graft agency, a popular legal practitioner, Adeyemi Sulaimon, disclosed that a governor shielding a crime suspect could be arraigned and prosecuted for providing cover for a crime suspect after leaving office.
Sulaimon explained that such action is a criminal offense under the 1999 constitution and does not have an expiration time, saying a governor may be prosecuted for aiding crime after leaving office when the immunity previously enjoyed would have elapsed.
He explained that like any criminal offense that has no time bound for prosecution, so also, aiding a crime suspect does not have a time limit that it could not be brought before a court.
The legal practitioner added that all required for the anti-graft agency and other law enforcement institutions is to collate evidence and strike when they understand that the President or the governor does not have any immunity protecting their actions.
