Fraud Charge: Court Gives Ex Kebbi Gov, Dakingari Till July 2 To Appear

The Federal High Court sitting in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State has given the former governor of the state, Alhaji Usman Nasamu Dakingari another day for him to appear before the court.

The judge who gave the ruling yesterday, said that he gave the former governor till 2nd of July, 2018 to appear before it or else they will issue warrant certificate before him.

Our correspondent gathered that Dakingari and three other persons, Garba Rabiu Kamba,Sunday Dogonyaro and Abdullahi Yelwa are facing 15 count charges by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC)on an alleged conspiracy and receipt of N700m cash from the former Minister of Petroleum for the 2015 general election in Kebbi State.

He and other three defendants were to appear in court on Monday but only one of them, Garba Rabiu Kamba was in court.

In his argument, the lead prosecutor to the EFCC, Ojogbane Johnson urged the court to issue bench arrest warrant against Dakingari as he had on many occasion frustrated their attempts to serve him court summon.

But haven listened to the plea of the lead counsel to the defendants, the presiding judge, Justice Simon Amobeda turned down the application.

The defendant lead counsel, Ibrahim Muhammed had earlier filled a preliminary injunction and bail application for Dakingari.

He alleged that the prosecutor did not comply with the directive of the high court which says he must be given seven days within which he would appear in court after the summon was served. But the prosecutor opposed it saying he needs to submit himself to court before making such plea.

The judge dismissed the preliminary injunction by the defendants counsel saying it lacked merit and that provision of ICJA is superior to the directive of the high court.

For that his prosecutor argued that section 394 of the ICJ should be applied since he was served the court summon but refused to submit himself to the jurisdiction of the court. He appealed to the judge to issue a bench warrant of arrest against Dakingari and other defendants.

However, his counsel pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy. He prayed the court to be gracious enough to allow his clients to report themselves on the 2nd of July, 2018.

Having dismissed the prosecutor’s application for issuance of bench arrest warrant against Dakingari and two other defendants, Justice Amobeda adjourned hearing on the case to 2nd of July.