LAGOS, Federal Republic of Nigeria. Former Niger Delta militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo, yesterday asked a Federal High Court in Lagos to vacate the order of arrest issued against him.
Justice Ibrahim Buba had on January 14 ordered Tompolo’s arrest following his refusal to honour a court summons in respect of a 40-count of alleged N34bn fraud filed against him and nine others by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. EFCC prosecutor, Festus Keyamo, had then applied under Section 131 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 for an order to arrest Tompolo and bring him to court to answer the charges against him.
While granting the order, Justice Buba had said there was a proof that EFCC had served the summons and the charge sheet on the accused by pasting them on the wall of his residence at No. 1, Chief Agbanu DDPA Extension, Warri, Delta State. But Tompolo in his application filed through his lawyers, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa is seeking an order of the court to set aside the warrant of arrest, on the grounds that he was never served with the originating summons as directed by the court.
He described as fictitious the address known as No.1, Chief Agbanu DDPA Extention, Warri, Delta State, where the EFCC said it pasted the summons and the charge sheet.
Credit: National Mirror (Nigeria)
