N450m scam: Group lauds EFCC over arraignment of ex-minister, 2 others

From Ado Abubakar Musa Jos

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has been commended for arraigning a former Minister for Water Resource, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe, and two others for alleged money laundering.
A group, Concerned Patriots in Plateau state, made the commendation in a statement dated 1/02/18, and signed by its Chairman, Hon. Dan Bulus.
Our correspondent reports that Mrs. Ochekpe, erstwhile acting Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State, Mr. Raymond Dabo, and former Plateau state campaign coordinator of Goodluck Jonathan, Evangelist Leo-Sunday Jatau, were arraigned over an alleged laundering of N450 million in 2015.
The group also called on the, “EFCC to beam their searchlight on the state further to fish out those who have played roles in squandering or misappropriating the funds of the state in the past, especially, within the immediate past administration.”
A Federal High Court sitting in Jos, the Plateau State capital last month granted Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe bail, on personal recognition and that the bail bond should be signed by her lead Counsel, Sunny G. Odey (Esq), as second condition.
Hearing on the matter has been fixed for 13th and 14th February, 2018.
The Presiding Judge, Hon. Justice Musa H. Kurya, who said this is the first time in his practice as a judge that he would see a Counsel signing a bail bond for an accused person, said his decision to grant the accused bail is based on the ground that the prosecution the EFCC is not opposing the bail applications. But, he however, warned that he would hold the Counsel, Odey (Esq) responsible since he does not know the defendants personally.
Mr. Sunny G. Odey (Esq), who led other six Lawyers for the defence had drawn the attention of the Court to the bail applications personally deposed to be the defendants individually.