N32bn Fraud: “Court Cannot Stop EFCC From Investigating You” – Judge Tells El-Rufai

The Federal High Court in Abuja told the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai that it cannot stop the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from investigating him.

Justice Binta Nyako said this while delivering the judgment, on Friday, in a suit no: FHC/ABJ/CS/60/09 instituted by El-Rufai.

The EFCC had accused Governor El-Rufai of mishandling of N32bn proceeds of sale of Federal Government’s houses in Abuja between May 2005 and 2007, when he was the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

Following the accusation, El-Rufai filed a suit FHC/ABJ/CS/60/09 urging the court to hold that he complied with the guidelines approved by the Federal Executive Council for the sale of Federal Government houses.

He also asked the court to declare that the sum of N32bn (or any sum whatsoever) from the proceeds of the sale of Federal Government of Nigeria Houses in FCT between May 2005 and 2007 was not missing.

The EFCC had, in opposing the suit, maintained that the motive of the applicant (El-Rufai) was to stop the commission from investigating him in order to cover up the alleged fraud perpetrated when he was FCT minister.

The judge granted the prayers sought by el-Rufai by holding that he had properly accounted for the money, but noted that no court could stop the EFCC’s investigation into it.

“No court, including this one, will allow itself to be used to shield anybody from being investigated by the 1st respondent (the EFCC),” the judge said.