Nnamani: EFCC opposes bail application

According to the EFCC, in a counter-affidavit, the alleged "killer squad" was headed by Nnamani’s former Political Adviser on Chieftancy and Local Government Matter, Mr. Sam Ejiofor, who is standing trial before a Federal High Court in Lagos over alleged money laundering offences.

It said that the safety of prosecution witnesses in the case may not be guaranteed if the former governor was granted bail.
The EFCC also alleged that in the course of the investigation of the case, the investigating team was attacked by the "killer squad" and had to sleep in the bush for a night.

Relying on the counter-affidavits filed by the commission and insisting that the former governor and his co-accused, Sunday Anyaogu should be kept in custody, pending the determination of the case, EFCC’s lawyer, Kelvin Uzozie, disclosed that several persons who were helping the commission in the investigation were attacked.

The EFCC named those allegedly eliminated by the "killer squad" as Sunday Ugwu, Engr. Chris Nwankwo, Prof Chimere Ikoku and Samuel Otte.

According to the commission, those allegedly attacked include, Chief Christian Onoh, the former governor of old Anambra State; Rev Dr Oscar Egwuonwu, a former local government chairman of Udi Local Government, described as a witness for the prosecution, and his younger brother, Mr Chuka Egwuonwu. Others are Hon Nwabueze Ugwu, Hon Barrister Lucky Chukwu and Rev Father Mbaka.

Another reason adduced by the prosecution for opposing bail was that, "on July 23, 2007 when Nnamani was brought to Lagos, he was remanded at EFCC office at Okotie-Eboh Street with an instruction not to leave the place of his detention but immediately he noticed that the security men were no longer around him, he was found trying to sneak out of the compound but was stopped by the vigilant security men."

Countering the arguments and the averments raised by the EFCC, lead counsel to Nnamani, Mr Ricky Tarfa, (SAN) urged the court to grant his client bail on medical grounds and described the allegations canvassed by the prosecution as "speculative."

Pleading with the court to disregard all the counter-affidavits filed by the prosecution, he said Nnamani, apart from being a former governor, is a serving senator, who would not jump bail.

Praying the court to dismiss the objection raised by the prosecution, Tarfa added that the former governor "is a law abiding citizen of Nigeria with no record of previous conviction by any court of law in this country or any part of the world."

The defence team further stated that due to the accuser’s deplorable state of health, the Chief Consultant/Physician/Nephrologist of the National Hospital Abuja, Dr E.A. Anteyi, had issued and signed a medical report dated July 23, 2007 that condition of Nnamani’s "state of health is critical and needs close monitoring and treatment outside the country."