Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, Lagos, today February 19, 2016 granted the request of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to seize all properties of former Niger Delta militant, Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo) who has been declared wanted by the Commission following his refusal to heed court summons to answer to fraud charges.
At the resuming hearing today,
prosecuting counsel, Festus Keyamo informed the court of the warrant of
arrest issued in respect of Tompolo. He said despite the warrant of
arrest and efforts of security agencies, the suspect has not been found.
Keyamo then brought an ex-parte motion
to authorise the EFCC to attach and seize property belonging to
Government Ekpemupolo pending his arrest or appearance before the court.
The properties are: No. 1 Chief Agbamu
Close, DDPA Extension, Effurun, Delta State; Mieka Dive Limited and
Mieka Dive Training Institute Limited situated at No. 77, Lioth Street,
ODPA Ugborikoko, Uvwie Local Government Area, Delta State; Muhaabix
Global Services Limited; a River Crew Change Boat named MUHA -15; the
property known as “Tompolo Dockyard”, by the end of Enerhen Road,
Effurun; the property known as “Tompolo Yard”, at the end of Chevron
Clinic Road, next to Next Oil, Edjeba, Warri; the Diving School at
Kurutie, at Escravos River; the property know as “Tompolo House” at
Oporaza Town , opposite the Palace and any other moveable and immoveable
property discovered by the EFCC, belonging to the 1st accused person.
Keyamo asked the court to separate the charge so that the matter can proceed as the 1st accused person has remained elusive.
Keyamo asked the court to separate the charge so that the matter can proceed as the 1st accused person has remained elusive.
Tompolo was billed to be arraigned by
the EFCC alongside a former director general of the Nigerian Maritime
Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Mr. Patrick Akpobolokemi and
eight others, on a 40-count charge for alleged conspiracy and diversion
of over N34,000,000,000 (Thirty Four Billion Naira only), belonging to
NIMASA. While Akpobolokemi and others appeared in court, Tompolo failed
to do so, forcing the court to issue a warrant for his arrest.
Justice Buba granted the request of the
prosecution to separate the charge and fixed a date for the arraignment
of the nine other suspects.
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