I’ll Strike Out Your Money Laundering Suit Against Atiku – Court Warns Keyamo

A Federal High Court in Abuja has threatened to strike out a suit filed by the spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Festus Keyamo, against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

The presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho, who gave the warning on Tuesday, said the suit would be struck out on the next adjourned date if Keyamo was not ready to diligently prosecute the case.

Naija News reported that the Minister of State for Labour and Employment had instituted the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/84/2023 against Atiku over allegations bordering on money laundering.

Also joined as defendants in the suit are the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

Recall that Keyamo had earlier asked law enforcement agencies to arrest Atiku based on an audio recording released by Michael Achimugu, his former aide.

In the audio, the former vice-president was alleged to have explained how shell organisations were set up to divert public funds.

Keyamo is seeking an order compelling the anti-graft agencies to invite or arrest, investigate, and if found wanting, prosecute Atiku in respect of the information available to him.

Upon resuming the hearing at the last hearing, the court granted an order to Keyamo’s counsel, Okechukwu Uju-Azorji, to serve Atiku (1st defendant) through substituted means.

Uju-Azorji said while they were planning to effect the service, the former Vice President served on them his statement of defence.

The lawyer, who said he was yet to serve Atiku the court order, said he felt the defendant’s statement of defence was incompetent since the former Vice President was yet to be served their court papers.

Justice Omotosho recalled that he adjourned the matter because the defendant had 30 days to respond, therefore, for Abubakar to have filed his application even before being served with the plaintiff originating process showed he was diligent.

The judge then berated the senior lawyer for basing his failure to effect the service of his application on the incompetency of Abubakar’s process because the news about the matter was on social media.

Uju-Azorji also told the court that Keyamo was not in court to give his evidence in the matter.

The judge then warned the lawyer against turning the court into a dumping ground.

Uju-Azorji, therefore, prayed to the court for an adjournment to enable him to serve Abubakar with the originating process.

Justice Omotosho subsequently adjourned the matter until March 23 for hearing or striking out of the case.