EFCC, Leave Sun Newspaper Alone
We are in total support of the efforts of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to either rid the nation of corruption or at least reduce the menace to the barest minimum. We are therefore, like many Nigerians to see that people, who otherwise thought they are above the law are now being made to face the consequences of the action, legally.
Therefore we have no issues with the recent conviction and jailing of the former governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu which happened on Thursday December 5, 2019.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court Lagos said Kalu was guilty of N7.56 billion fraud and sentenced him to 12 years imprisonment.
The prosecution had earlier told the court that the former governor used his company, Slok Nigeria Limited, to defraud Abia State. The court therefore ruled that the company, Slok Nigeria Limited be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The pronouncement of the court was very clear with no iota of ambiguity- that Slok Nigeria Limited be forfeited to the Federal Government because it was the company that served as a conduit for the fraud.
There was no time the court said anything belonging to the convicted former governor, including his wives and children should be forfeited.
It is therefore surprising that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has gone to attach the premises of the Sun Publishing Limited, a different liability company on its own which was never mentioned by the judge while ruling on the matter.
The action of the EFCC has been attracting reactions from the media in particular and Nigerians in general who are saying that the action of the Commission is both politically motivated and an attempt to further muzzle the media in Nigeria.
On its own, the management of Sun Publishing Limited on Saturday petitioned the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice to step in and ensure that the EFCC does not seal the company’s corporate headquarters.
The company made the call to the Attorney-General through a statement issued titled, ‘EFCC visit to The Sun office with armed policemen: Our Stand.’
The statement asked the Attorney General and Minister for Justice to advise the EFCC appropriately on the legal consequences of such an action if implemented and went further to appeal for his intervention, saying the visit by three officials of EFCC officials with four heavily armed policemen to its corporate headquarters in Lagos was unacceptable.
“They arrived the corporate headquarters of The Sun Publishing Limited at 2, Coscharis Street, Kirikiri Industrial Layout, Apapa, Lagos and put up a notice for the staff and the general public to keep off the premises.
“The EFCC officials, who came in a white Toyota bus with registration number, ABUJA BWR-644GA, wrote on The Sun’s fence, “EFCC, keep off.”
“They also advised our staff to collect their personal belongings from the office as they will come back to seal the premises completely,” the management stated in the statement.
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Continuing, Sun Management said, “It is on record that there is a pending appeal at the Supreme Court with Suit No: SC/546/2018 wherein The Sun Publishing Limited appealed against the Judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal on the interim forfeiture order made against it by a Federal High Court in 2007 based on ex parte proceeding.
“The Notice of Appeal and Motion for Stay of Execution were duly served on EFCC by the bailiffs of the Court. It is also pertinent to state that EFCC vide a letter written by Counsel to The Sun Publishing Limited, dated May 22, 2018 and duly received by one Caleb Peter on behalf of Rotimi Jacobs & Co. was further put on notice of the pending appeal at the Supreme Court.
“It was also advised to stay action in the matter pending the hearing of the Motion for Stay of execution and the appeal,” the statement said.
In concluding, the management of the Sun Publishing Limited reiterated that the Sun Publishing Limited is not part of Slok Nigeria Limited and asked that the EFCC take its eyes away from the publishing outfit.
“It is instructive to state that The Sun Publishing Limited is not a party to the case of EFCC vs. Orji Uzor Kalu & 2 Others. So, we do not see why the Judgment in that case should lead to attempt to seal The Sun Publishing Limited premises.”
It is on that note that we join well meaning Nigerians and other concerned democrats from across the world to ask the EFCC to follow due process and the rule of law in its operations and that considering the many professionals and other citizens employed and feeding from the Sun Publishing Limited, no further attempts should be made to tarnish the hard earned reputation of the Sun Newspaper.
