EFCC raids Bankole’s homes •Ex-Speaker’s travel documents seized

Posted by admin EFCC Politics, House, Latest Politics, Legislature Monday, June 6th, 2011

WITH full judicial backing, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday raided the Abuja homes of

the detained former speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, in connection with investigation into the alleged N2.3 billion car and N10 billion bank loan scams that rocked his leadership of the green chamber.

His official quarters and guest house were said to have been visited by the operatives accompanied by the former Speaker.

Commission’s spokesperson, Mr Femi Babafemi, confirmed the search, saying that it was “a normal investigative procedure in high-profile cases like this.”

The commission was said to have got an order of the court, on Monday, to search the houses.

It was also learnt that he had been making statement to the commission on the twin issues of alleged corruption, with his travel documents reportedly confiscated.

Nigerian Tribune source disclosed that it was certain that the former Speaker would not enjoy the usual administrative bail from the commission and would go to court straight from detention.

With the constitution not empowering the commission to keep him in custody more than 48 hours, there were indications that the anti-corruption commission would still go back to the judiciary for an order to detain him for at least two weeks.

The source noted that the promptness in the writing of his statement would determine how fast his case would move, though he was said to be cooperating maximally with his interrogators on the allegations against his leadership.

His statement, especially on the alleged car scam, it was gathered, would determine the next step the commission would take on the names being bandied as co-culprits in the saga.

One of those being mentioned is the newly-elected speaker, Honour-able Aminu Tambuwal.

Nigerian Tribune’s source said the commission was conducting strictly criminal investigative activities and would not want any of its actions seen as political, a reason for its decision to limit itself to what would be coming from the investigation and not the public statement being made by some persons in relation to the alleged scams.

It was learnt that since Bankole had never been quizzed over the alleged scam, his statement on it now would form a plank in the planned trial of those found culpable.

Though charge was yet to be filed against the former speaker, a source confirmed to the Nigerian Tribune that he would be prosecuted over the alleged scams.

He was arrested on Sunday night at his Maitama residence and had since been in custody.

-Tribunewp_posts