Senate will upturn injunction stopping Odili’s arrest, prosecution – Senator Utazi

The Senate and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, are set to reopen investigation into the alleged misappropriation of N100 billion by former Rivers State governor, Dr. Peter Odili.

This is according to the Chairman, Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, Senator Chukwuka Utazi.

Utazi said the Senate are moving to amend the EFCC Act.

The former Governor had secured a perpetual injunction from a Federal High Court, restraining the EFCC from prosecuting or arresting him.

Utazi was speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital at the weekend, when he led other committee members on an oversight visit to the South-South regional office of the anti-graft agency.

He explained that with the amendment bill of the EFCC Act and when passed, would upturn the injunction.

The move would reopen investigations into alleged misappropriation of N100 billion by the former governor who governed Rivers State between 1999 and 2007.

According to Utazi, it was wrong for one arm of the government to stop another from performing its constitutional roles, stressing that the amendment would give the anti-graft agency the power to by-pass the injunction.

The decision came as a result of a request by the South-South regional coordinator of EFCC, Ishaq Salihu, that the Senate should help in reopening the investigation and possibly prosecuting Odili.

Utazi said, “The House of Representatives has done its bit on the amendment of EFCC Act. It has come to us. The amendments effected in the House of Representatives were not exhaustive.

“We are going to look into this (issuance of perpetual injunction) issue with a view to correcting it.

“Nobody should stop an organ of government from performing its duties. We want to empower them (EFCC) to work. They cannot work with one hand tied to the back.

‘’We are going to ensure that everything is done in accordance with the rule of law. Nobody should be shortchanged.”

Ishaq had earlier revealed that the injunction was not good for the morale of operatives in the South-south, as well as prosecution of other suspects fingered in the matter.

He said, “The perpetual injunction of Odili is a problem for us. Because of that injunction, it means we cannot invite anybody related to the case to give any testimony.”