Former governor of Katsina State,
Ibrahim Shema, yesterday, expressed his readiness to defend corruption charges
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against him.
This is in accordance to the decision of the Supreme Court that he has a case to answer over the corruption charges leveled against him by EFCC.
The former governor, via a statement
by his media aide, Mr. Olawale Oluwabusola, said he received the apex court’s
verdict in good faith, saying he is prepared to prove his innocence “on
universal principles of rule of law and fair hearing”. Shema, who was accused
of complicity in the illegal diversion of public funds to the tune of N11
billion, said he only went to the Supreme Court to challenge refusal by the
anti-graft agency to handover some documents he needed to prepare his defence
to the 22-count charge against him.
Insisting that he was never opposed
to fair trial, the ex-governor accused EFCC of engaging in “trial by ambush.”
It wil be recalled that a five-man panel of Justices of the apex court had in a
judgment last Friday, said it was satisfied that Shema has a case to answer.
Meanwhile, the statement by Shema’s media aide, read: “Ibrahim Shehu Shema has
never been opposed to fair trial. His grouse has been against what was playing
out in the allegations and trial by ambush. “Now that the highest court in the
land has spoken, he expects the EFCC and the Katsina State government to comply
with and provide necessary documents to prepare his defence as provided by the
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
“The former governor is always ready to defend
himself and to prove his innocence on universal principles of rule of law and
fair hearing, against the politically motivated smear campaign of calumny being
ochestrated by the Katsina state government, using agencies of state and
federal government as tools to cow the opposition”. Shema and his co-defendants
had gone before the apex court to challenge their trial, contending that EFCC
lacked the powers to try them under a law they said was enacted by the Katsina
State government. The appellants mainained that the appellate court erred in
law when it declined to set-aside a ruling by the trial high court that okayed
their criminal prosecution. The former governor equally contended that he was
entitled to be furnished with the proof of evidence against him, as well as
other documents that were adduced by the EFCC. However, while refusing to quash
the charge, the Supreme Court, held that EFCC was empowered by its
establishment Act to investigate and prosecute any person accused of
corruption. It said the anti-graft agency had the powers under its
establishment Act to enforce any other law relating to economic crimes. Justice
Bage agreed with the lower court that the 22-count charge filed against the
defendants were competent.
“This interlocutory appeal lacked merit and it
is hereby dismissed,” the apex court held.
Alleged N11bn fraud: I’m ready to defend myself —Ex-gov Shema
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Monday, January 29, 2018
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