Senate Committee on Anti-corruption and Financial Crimes has started
investigations of arrest of Mr. Innocent Chukwuma, the Managing Director
of Innoson Motors Nigeria Limited in Abuja.
Mr. Chukwuma was arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission in December, 2017 over financial transactions with
Guarantee Trust Bank.
The investigation was at the instance of petition he filed at the
National Assembly seeking justice . Innoson insisted that his forceful
arrest by operatives of the EFCC at his Enugu residence on 19th
December, was illegal.
The Committee at the hearing Thursday, wondered why the anti graft
body allowed itself to be drafted into mere financial transaction
between two corporate bodies to the point of effecting arrest without
warrant.
A member, Senator Dino Melaye representing Kogi West after putting
the EFCC’s Director of Legal Services, Mr Chile Okoroma to question on
whether the arrest was carried out with a warrant or not, said “it was
wrong for EFCC to have carried out such an arrest without a warrant.”
Dino added that since the substantive matter involving the three
parties was already in court, the Committee had no interest of getting
involved, but was worried on human rights violation perpetrated against
the Innoson boss by the EFCC during the arrest.
“The Senate by its extant rules and laws of the land will never
dabble into matters already in court but would never allowed any
government agency or person in power use the instrumentality of office
to trample on other peoples rights.
“Based on question thrown to the EFCC man here as regards whether
warrant of arrest was issued before the forceful arrest of Innoson boss
last year or not to which he failed to give categorical answer, shows
that the anti graft agency did not follow the laid down procedure in
carrying out such an arrest.
“Acts such as these are not good for a country yearning for influx of foreign investors and must be stopped,” he said.
The Chairman of the committee, Senator Chukwuka Utazi (PDP Enugu
North), shared the same view with senator Melaye by advising the anti
graft body to be more cautious in its operations especially on matters
that were largely civil and not criminal in nature.
Earlier, the legal counsel of Innoson, Professor McCarthy Mbadiugha
alleged that GTB was owing Innoson to the tune of N20billion and not
Innoson owing it N600million as alleged.
The GTB lawyer, Adebowale Kamoru declined submission, saying that the matter was already in court.