Andy Uba
Tobi Soniyi
An Abuja Chief Magistrates’ Court Tuesday ordered the Inspector General of Police (IG) Mohammed Abubakar to carry out a criminal investigation of Senator Andy Uba and Chibuike Achigbu over allegations surrounding the $15 million bribe money allegedly belonging to the former governor of Delta State, James Ibori.
The order was made based on a direct criminal complaint filed in the court by Mr. Festus Keyamo against Uba and Achigbu accusing them of conspiracy, abetment and bribery in respect of the $15 million Ibori bribe.
Chief Magistrate Victor Okagu, sitting at Wuse Zone 6, also ordered the IG to report back to the court with his findings on September 26.
Keyamo had already written to the police boss forwarding the Certified True Copy of the court order for his attention and necessary action.
Achigbu, two weeks ago, had filed an application at the Federal High Court, Abuja, claiming that the $15 million belonged to him. But 48 hours after, he filed another application to discontinue the case.
In a notice of discontinuance filed by his lawyer, Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN), Achigbu did not give any reason for discontinuing the case.
Achigbu had said that he gave the money to Uba, a former aide to the then President Olusegun Obasanjo for the purpose of financing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the 2007 general election.
Uba, he said, had recommended at the time that the money be transferred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He alleged that Uba specifically confirmed to him that it was Ibrahim Lamorde, the then Director of Operations of EFCC, that was specifically instructed to receive the money from him (Uba) on April 25, 2007.
Achigbu said that Uba had also agreed to depose to an affidavit to own up to the facts deposed to in his application.
Despite the twists and turns in the case, the Delta State Government has formally asked the Federal Government to release to it the $15 million allegedly received from Ibori by a former Chairman of the EFCC, Malam Nuhu Ribadu.