Why Akingbola Remains In Custody - EFCC

ABUJA, May 14, (THEWILL) - The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has explained that the detention of former Chief Executive Officer of Intercontinental Bank, Erastus Akingbola has not violated any court order contrary to insinuations and misleading information being peddled round by his image handlers.

The Commission in a statement on Saturday said, "Our attention has been drawn to some misleading information being circulated by the image handlers of Mr. Akingbola to create the impression that the EFCC is holding on to the accused person in contravention of an order by Justice Achibong of the federal high court, Lagos.

"We wish to state that this information is not only totally misleading, but equally designed to generate undeserved public sympathy for an accused that has been validly charged to court for stealing billions of depositors funds. The plain facts which Akingbola's handlers have failed to place in the public domain are:

"The order of Justice Achibong of the federal high court which they have been circulating to stop Akingbola's arraignment and ensure his release cannot hold because the order was issued after the action it was meant to stop, that is arraignment, had already taken place at a Lagos High Court on May 5th.

“Again, Justice Achibong’s order was unclear as to which court it was addressed to; Magistrate’s court, Lagos State High Court or Federal High Court? In all, it is clear that Justice Achibong does not have the power to try stealing which is a criminal code matter, now before a Lagos High Court that has the competent jurisdiction and as such cannot issue an order that will be binding on matter outside its jurisdiction.

“Our candid advice to Mr. Akingbola’s handlers is to concentrate their resources on his defence in the multiple criminal charges he is facing before separate courts rather than muddling developments in different matters to confuse themselves and the public all in a desperate bid to justify their huge budget and generate undeserved sympathy for someone who is facing criminal charges of money laundering and stealing billions of depositors funds.”