The non-declaration of assets charges instituted against former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has been struck out by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
The charges which were brought against Ekweremadu by the defunct Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property was struck out on Monday by Justice Binta Nyako.
In 2018, the panel, led by Mr. Okoi Obono-Obla, instituted the case marked FHC/ABJ/CR/62/2018 against the serving senator, alleging that he refused and neglected to declare his assets despite being served the panel’s “notice to declare”.
After the panel was dissolved in 2019 upon a presidential directive, the Attorney-General of the Federation took over the case.
However, Justice Binta Nyako made the decision to strike out the case after the prosecution counsel from the AGF office, Mr Pius Akutah, said the former lawyer handling the case disappeared with the case file. He prayed the court to order the counsel to release the file.
Ekweremadu’s lawyer, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), consequently urged the judge to strike out the case.
Responding, Justice Nyako dismissed Akutah’s request.
“You are attorney-general (referring to the lawyer as representing the AGF), you should know what to do.
“You should not be waiting for me to make an order against an individual,” she asserted.
She added that since the AGF’s office did not know the case against the defendant due to unavailability of the file, the case was thereby stuck of for ‘want of diligent prosecution’.
She however said the prosecution team could come back when they are ready.
Ekweremadu, representing Enugu West, was the Deputy Senate President between 2007 and 2019. He has been in the senate since 2003.