A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to produce High Chief Raymond Dokpesi before it.
The order made ex-parte yesterday by Justice Gabriel Kolawole followed an ex-parte application by Dokpesi who claimed to have been unlawfully detained beyond 48 hours by the EFCC.
The judge, who heard the applicant’s lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN) in chambers, ordered the EFCC to produce Dokpesi before his court on the next hearing date of December 14.
Ozekhome, who told journalists what happened in the judge’s chambers, said the judge also ordered the EFCC to show cause why he should not grant Dokpesi’s prayer for unconditional or conditional bail.
Dokpesi had, in the application, prayed for an order compelling the respondent to produce the applicant who is currently in its custody or any other place of detention before this court on the date this application comes up for hearing.
He also sought an order admitting the applicant to bail on self-recognisance or on such favourable and liberal terms as this court may deem fit to make in the circumstances of this case, pending the formal arraignment of the applicant before a court of law.
He hinged his prayers on the ground that no formal charge has been brought against him, over 48 hours after his detention.
The applicant said he went to honour a verbal invitation from officials of the EFCC on December 1 and had been detained since then after subjecting him to hours of “unprepared interrogation.”
He argued that the offences alleged against him “are ordinarily bailable.” He promised not to jump bail, not to interfere with witnesses or the course of justice, if any formal charge was filed against him.
Dokpesi said, with his social status, the court could grant him bail on liberal terms, or on self- recognisance as he has no criminal antecedents or record. He promised to attend court, if eventually he is formally arraigned.
In a supporting affidavit, the applicant said he was arrested over his inability to honour an invitation by the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), inviting Daar Investment and Holding Limited (an arm of Daar Communications Ltd) “for discussion on the supply and services rendered to the Office of the NSA.”
He stated that while he was yet to perfect the bail granted him by the EFCC “on the most onerous,” it went before a Magistrate’s Court to procure an order to legitimise and further detain him.