From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Federal High Court judge, Abuja has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to produce estate agent Rebecca Omokamo in court to enable her trial for alleged land fraud, forgery, and money laundering to continue.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik gave the order on Tuesday after Omokamo failed to appear for the resumed hearing. Her lawyer, Christopher Oshomeghie, SAN, told the court that EFCC operatives had laid siege to his client’s home for 23 days, leaving her unable to leave the premises. He said fear for her safety, not defiance, kept her away from court.
In a brief ruling, Justice Abdulmalik directed the EFCC to keep Omokamo in its custody until Thursday, July 23, when the trial will resume.
Her co-defendants in the case are Homadil Realty Limited, Idakwogi Richard John, and Rychado Homes Limited. Of the four, only Richard John the CEO of Rychado Homes appeared in court for Tuesday’s hearing.
Opening proceedings, prosecuting counsel Benedict Ubi told the court that Omokamo was in “self-imposed house arrest” following an earlier interim forfeiture order the court had made over a disputed parcel of land. He accused her of obstructing EFCC officers from enforcing that order and of breaching her administrative bail by repeatedly traveling outside the court’s jurisdiction.
Oshomeghie pushed back, telling the court that armed EFCC officers had occupied his client’s property for 23 days and that her prolonged confinement indoors had left her in poor health.
Ubi countered that Omokamo herself held the keys to the apartment and had locked herself in not the EFCC officers on enforcement duty. After defence counsel confirmed this was accurate, Justice Abdulmalik ordered the agency to produce her in court.
Earlier, in a related civil suit filed by the EFCC, Justice Abdulmalik sharply rebuked Oshomeghie for what she called “pondering for the court,” after he raised concerns about the continued siege on his client’s property in Guzape.
He had sought clarification on her earlier order to maintain the status quo, arguing that EFCC officers had gone beyond it by confining his client to the property for nearly a month.
The judge was blunt in her response: “When I make an order, I go to sleep” a remark underscoring that counsel does not get to interpret the court’s intentions on its behalf.
Also in the civil suit, prosecuting counsel Ubi informed the court of a pending application for final forfeiture of the disputed property, alongside a separate application from a third party seeking to join the suit.
The court ruled that the joinder application would take priority and be heard first.
Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the civil suit to October 15 for hearing of all pending applications.
(The Sun)
