Chief Judge moves against EFCC

…bars magistrates from issuing remand orders

The Chief Judge of the Federal Capital‎ Territory (FCT), Justice Ishaq Bello, has warned magistrates in the FCT to stop granting remand orders to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The Chief Judge issued the warning during his visit to the Keffi Medium prison in Keffi, Nasarawa State, on Tuesday.

The directive is coming because EFCC has been relying on FCT Magistrates’ Courts to issue remand warrants to justifying its continued detention of suspects under investigation for corruption and other economic crimes.

The commission said last week it had obtained a detention warrant from a Magistrates’ Court in the FCT to enable it keep the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, in its custody pending the conclusion of its investigation.

Also, Bello expressed concern over the large number of the awaiting trial inmates in the prison. He further reminded Magistrates’ Courts that they should not entertain cases on capital offences, including armed robbery and murder.

“I understand that EFCC has been bringing some cases to you and you have been granting them remand orders. You must no longer do this from today,” he said.

“You must not arraign people for offences such as armed robbery, murder and other capital offences before magistrates’ courts which they don’t have competence to handle”, he stated.