EFCC chair, Lamorde, shuns Senate probe again

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The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, on Tuesday, resumed hearing on the allegations of corruption against the former Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Lamorde.

However, Mr. Lamorde did not appear before the committee. He was represented by his lawyer, Festus Keyamo.

Mr. Lamorde’s absence drew the ire of the committee chaired by Samuel Anyanwu (PDP-Imo East), as the former anti-graft chief had earlier failed to honour the committee’s previous summon to attend its inaugural hearing on August 26.

Mr. Lamorde’s probe followed a petition by the Chief Executive of Public Alert Security Systems, George Uboh, who accused Mr. Lamorde of diverting N1 trillion recovered assets by the EFCC in his capacity as the Director of Operations and later Chairman.

Mr. Lamorde, through a statement by the spokesperson of EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, had dismissed the allegation, questioning the motive of the Senate probe as it began in the wake of the EFCC’s investigation of Toyin Saraki, wife of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, over allegations of graft while her husband governed Kwara State between 2003 and 2011.

At Tuesday’s hearing, the committee refused to allow Mr. Lamorde’s lawyer make a presentation.

“We don’t accept representative,” Mr. Anyanwu insisted, adding, “a person (summoned) may come with his lawyers for guide; but the person must come.”

Echoing the Chairman’s position, a member of the Committee, Dino Melaye, read Section 89 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, emphasizing the “Senate’s power to summon anybody”.

“No Nigerian is above the law,” Mr. Melaye warned. “He said Mr. Lamorde was first invited on August 26 but noted “with dismay that he has refused to come” despite “several letters sent to him.”

“Once you get the invitation of the National Assembly, it is mandatory to come,” he added.

Since the law requests anyone summoned to the Senate Committee hearing to swear to an oath, he explained it would be impossible for the committee to allow Mr. Lamorde to be represented.

Obinna Ogba (PDP-Ebonyi Central) and Tayo Alasoadura (APC-Ondo Central) also condemned Mr. Lamorde’s failure to attend the hearing.

Defending Mr. Lamorde’s absence, Mr. Keyamo reminded the committee that his client was first invited as EFCC Chairman. He pointed that his absence was not out of disrespect for the Committee.

He explained that, “He was first invited as the EFCC Chairman but now circumstance has changed. So he thought it was the end of his invitation. So he travelled out for medicals. He believed he no longer could be invited as a private citizen.”

Further, he questioned if the Senate could still invite Mr. Lamorde and have jurisdiction over him.

“The Senate has no power to invite a private person,” he said.

But he was interrupted by the committee members who said Mr. Lamorde was still in the public service as a police officer.

Mr. Anyanwu added that the petition was written against the person of Mr. Lamorde, disputing his counsel’s point that the former EFCC boss had thought his exit from the commission had meant end to his appearance for probe.

“The letter expressly addressed him as the former chairman,” Mr. Melaye said.

The Senate therefore ended the hearing and issued “a final date” – Tuesday, November 24, for Mr. Lamorde to appear in person.

Mr. Keyamo’s plea that the date be extended because “Lamorde has medicals till December 15” was dismissed.
“This Senate does not know its powers”.

Addressing journalists at the end of the hearing, Mr. Keyamo said the Senate was ignorant of powers in the Constitution.

He said the Senate had no power to “invite anybody”. Rather, the Senate could “only summon,” he argued.

He said it was he that corrected the Senate on its powers on the appointment of Service Chiefs.

“And on this case, I am ready to correct them again,” he said.

Source: Premium Times