By ADESINA AIYEKOTI
Thursday, August 2, 2007

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 Sunady 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.
"He will not commit any offence, neither will he interfere with any further investigations or prosecution of this case if granted 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."

Also in the affidavit filed by Nnamani, it was argued that "it will be in the interest of justice to grant bail pending the hearing of the charge to enable him attend to his deteriorating health condition and adequately brief his lawyers and provide them with all the facilities needed to defend himself in the charge."

The defence team further stated that due to the accused’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."

Nnamani, his Chief of Staff, Sylvia Onwubuemeli and Sunday Onyekazuru Anyaogu, Finance Director, Rainbownet Nig Ltd, and six companies are being tried on a 105-count charge bordering on money laundering.

They were alleged, among others, to have conspired to launder over N5.3 billion belonging to Enugu State government. They were also charged with transferring the sum of 1.5 million dollars to the United States of America, which they knew represented the proceeds of crime.

According to the prosecution, the offences were committed between August 2003 and May 2007.
Corporate organizations charged along with Nnamani for the same offence are Rainbownet Nig Ltd, Hillgate Nigeria Ltd, Cosmo FM, Capital City Automobile (Nig) Ltd, Renaissance University Teaching Hospital and Mea Mater Elizabeth High School.
The trial judge, Justice Peter Olayiwola, is expected to rule Thursday on the issue of bail.