Bayelsa Drags EFCC To Court Over Alamieyesiegha Loot

SAN FRANCISCO, March 09, (THEWILL) - The N1.
4 billion and another $1.
3 million recovered from a former Bayelsa State governor, Diepreye Alamieyesiegha, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is now a source of problem between the anti-graft agency and the Bayelsa State Government .

The Bayelsa Government, in a move to have the seized money returned to it had mandated the Chief Executive of Panic Alert Security System, Mr George Uboh‎, to pursue the matter.

Uboh, on the orders of his principal, had petitioned the anti-graft body, asking that the money be returned within seven days.

He was to later meet EFCC officials on December 19 during the anti-graft body pleaded for a short time to ‎comply.

But when EFCC was no longer forthcoming on its promise, Uboh , on the orders of the Bayelsa Government, dragged EFCC to court in a bid to recover the money.

Joined as defendants in the case filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja are the EFCC and its Chairman, Mr.

Ibrahim Lamorde.
Bayelsa State wants the court six which the case has been assigned to declare that the failure of EFCC to remit the complete funds recovered from Alamieyesiegha‎ after he was investigated and prosecuted is an act of corruption and an economic crime contrary to sections 6 and 7 of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004.

Though no date has been fixed for the hearing of the case which was filed by the counsel to the Bayelsa Government, Mr.

Anthony Agbonlahor, the state also asked the court to issue an order to direct the commission to immediately pay the monies with the interest which had accrued on them.

Bayelsa is also asking the court to declare that Lamorde who took part in the investigation and prosecution ‎of Alamieyesiegha‎ ‎should not have allowed the looted funds recovered from the former governor to be traded with.

Bayelsa is also praying the court to rule that Lamorde was not qualified to continue in office as the anti-graft body chairman, having allegedly violating his oath of office.

The state also wants EFCC to pay 21 per cent interest on the N1.

4 billion and the $1.
3 million from November 1st, 2013 until judgment was delivered by the court.

The state also wants the court to, "direct EFCC to pay to it $400,000.

00 being the amount forfeited by its former governor and which funds had since been repatriated by the United States Government to the EFCC.

‎" The case has been assigned to court 6 at the Federal High Court in Abuja but no date has yet been fixed‎ for it.