By: Bashir Abubakar, in Bauchi
Justice Aliyu Baba Usman of the Bauchi State High Court Bauchi, Bauchi State has granted an order empowering the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to continue its investigation of Alhaji Hamza Koshe Akuyam and his company, Pentech Engineering Nig Ltd.
Koshe, the former PDP state Chairman in Bauchi had earlier approached the court sometime last year seeking a restraining order to halt the EFCC from investigating and prosecuting him and his company.
He had in a 31- paragraph affidavit asked the court to grant him “an order of perpetual injunction restraining the EFCC and ICPC, their agents, privies, cohorts or any other persons, agency, Commission or officials by whatever name / designation called driving authority from EFCC or ICPC or working in collaboration with them from inviting or in any other manner subjecting him and his company to their operations , activities or functions in so far as it relates to the issues arising from questions dealt with or covered by the contract financing agreement between Bauchi State Ministry of Finance ( Treasury Division) and Pentech Engineering Nig Ltd)”
Delivering judgment, Hon. Justice A. B. Usman of the Bauchi State High Court ruled that,” This honourable court and indeed courts of law lack requisite powers to restrain by perpetual order or any other order the law enforcement, in this case EFCC and ICPC from performing its legitimate function of investigation and prosecution of money laundering, corruption, economic and financial crimes or any other related offences”.
The judge, by his ruling, therefore gave the EFCC the go ahead to continue its investigation of the suspect.
The EFCC had previously invited Koshe for questioning but rather than honouring the invitation, he sued the Commission.
