A former Minister of Power, Dr. Olu Agunloye, yesterday told a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting at Apo in Abuja that the Attorney-General of the Federation did not give the Economic and Financial Crimes Commssion (EFCC) the fiat to prosecute him.
The EFCC charged Agunloye, who served as a minister in former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie, with seven counts bordering on forgery, disobedience of presidential order and corruption.
He was alleged to have, among others, on May 22, 2003 awarded a contract, titled: “Construction of 3,960 megawatt (MW) Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Station on build, operate and transfer basis to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited without any budgetary provision, approval and cash backing.”
At the resumed hearing of the case, Agunloye moved a motion seeking the leave of the court to allow some legal luminaries participate in the hearing of his preliminary objection against the EFCC.
The former minister, through his counsel, Adeola Adedipe (SAN), told the court that contrary to constitutional provisions, the AGF did not give EFCC the fiat to investigate and institute proceeding in the case against him.
Adedipe cited Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), saying instead of getting such fiat from the AGF, the EFCC got it from the Solicitor-General of the Federation.
He urged the court to take judicial notice, under Section 124 of the Evidence Act.
