NIMASA: Tompolo appeals against arrest order

Former Niger Delta warlord, Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo has filed an appeal against the order of the Federal High Court over the order made for his arrest.

Justice Ibrahim Buba had on 14 January issued a warrant for the arrest of Tompolo.

On 27 January, 2016, following his refusal to appear in court to answer charges of fraud preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Tompolo had earlier filed an application before the court, to set aside the said warrant of arrest which was summarily argued and dismissed by the court.

Tompolo thereafter filed an appeal against the ruling of the court on 18 February, 2016.

In the notice of appeal filed on his behalf by the law firms of Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, part of the complaint of Tompolo in the said appeal, is that the learned trial court erred in law, in refusing to set aside the warrant of arrest issued against him, when there was no evidence to show that he had been notified of the summons and the criminal charge pending against him, before the court.

Tompolo also complained that the learned trial court should have ascertained that the Respondent, which is the EFCC, duly complied with the order of the court for substituted service, by posting the charge at the correct address as contained in the order of the court.

Tompolo stated further that the application leading to the issuance of the warrant of arrest was not competently placed before the court, as the counsel that signed and filed it on behalf of the EFCC failed to affix his seal thereto, as required by law.

Tompolo is thus asking the Court of Appeal to set aside the warrant for his arrest and vacate all subsequent proceedings emanating from the flawed process of the criminal charge.

He is further seeking that the charge against him should be transferred from the current judge, to another judge of the Federal High Court.

According to Adegboruwa, Tompolo is a law abiding citizen who is only demanding the Federal Government should show compliance with the rule of law and due process, in the filing and prosecution of any crime that may be alleged against him.

'The relevant law enforcement agencies are being notified with the details of the appeal, so that they may be well cautioned from taking undue advantage of the criminal charge to wreak havoc upon Gbaramatu kingdom or to harass the family, relatives, friends and well wishers of Tompolo,' he said. – The News.