Tompolo
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission told a federal
judge on Friday that the whereabouts of Government Ekpemupolo, a former
militant leader, were unknown.
Festus Keyamo, counsel to the EFCC, said a
combined team of Nigerian police and military officers had been searching the
creeks for weeks without success.
The judge had issued a warrant for the arrest
of Mr. Ekpemupolo (also known as Tompolo) on February 8 after he shunned
repeated invitations to appear before the EFCC for questioning.
“We
wish to inform the court that the warrant of arrest that this court issued in
respect of the first defendant (Mr. Ekpemupolo) has not been executed despite the best efforts of all the security agents in
this country,” Mr. Keyamo told the judge on Friday.
“Every security agent in this country is
involved in the search for the first defendant. What is unfolding is something
that has never been seen before in this country for a very long time.”
Mr. Ekpemupolo and Patrick Akpobolokemi, the
former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime
Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, are accused of a multibillion naira
fraud at the agency.
Others charged alongside them are Global West Vessel Specialist
Ltd, Odimiri Electrical Ltd, Kime Engozu, Boloboere Property and Estate Ltd,
Rex Elem, Destre Consult Ltd, Gregory Mbonu, and Captain Warredi Enisuoh.
At the last court sitting, Tayo Oyetibo, who
represented Mr. Ekpemupolo prayed the court to set aside an
order of substituted service which the judge had earlier granted against his
client.
In a short ruling, Justice Ibrahim Buba
dismissed the application and renewed a warrant order it had earlier issued on
the former militant leader.
“Up till today the first defendant has refused
to honour the invitation of the court to appear before it,” the judge had said.
“The whole essence of service is to make the
person aware of charges facing him. By bringing an
application before the court, the first defendant had become aware of the
charge before the court.”
On Friday, no lawyer announced appearance for
Mr. Ekpemupolo, a situation the prosecution noted was disrespectful to the
court.
“Having registered his appearance at the last
sitting, the very senior counsel (Mr. Oyetibo) ought to have come to withdraw his appearance,” Mr. Keyamo said.
With Mr. Ekpemupolo still at large, Mr. Keyamo
moved a motion for an adjournment to enable the prosecution separate the
charges “so we can go on with the other accused persons”.
The prosecution counsel also filed an
application urging the court to order the seizure of all identified properties belonging to Mr. Ekpemupolo.