Lamorde Shuns Senate For The Third Time

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Former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Lamor‎de, on Tuesday, November 24, failed to appear before the Senate committee on ethics, privileges and public petitions.

Lamorde’s absence today, marked the third time he would refuse to appear before the committee chaired by Samuel Anyanwu.

Lamorde was scheduled to appear before the committee on August 25, but he failed to do so.

He was expected to appear before the senate on Tuesday, November 17 but he never showed up although he sent his counsel Festus Keyamo to represent him.

Keyamo, at the hearing of a petition against him, last Tuesday, had explained that his client’s absence was due to some health issues.

He said that Lamorde, who is being accused of diversion of funds, was abroad for medical treatment.

However, Samuel Anyanwu, chairman of the committee, had insisted that Lamorde must appear before it on a final date, which is today. But the former EFCC boss failed to show up on the scheduled date.

The committee may issue a bench warrant for his arrest, having given him the latitude to appear before it as its members warned last week.

Keyamo had argued that the Senate lacked powers to investigate the former EFCC boss as “he is now a private citizen.”

However, Anyanwu said the Senate has the right to summon him in the matters that have to do with EFCC even if he is the former chairman of the commission.

Source: Naij