A legal firm, Alpha-Harris Solicitors has faulted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over what it regards as the anti corruption agency’s ‘ignoble role’ in the contract agreement between its client and Alausa Power Limited.
The EFCC had recently in some national publications, the social media and its website, declared Mr. Owumi Ikomi wanted, citing allegations of ‘crime of internet fraud, impersonation and obtaining money under false pretenses’.The agreement was for the rental and deployment of three units 1MW Power Plant at Ikeja Mall under a Power Purchase Agreement between Alausa Power Limited and Ikeja Mall.
Convinced that both the EFCC personnel and Alausa Power Limited, are deliberately dishing out falsehood calculated to purposely embarrass and destroy the hard earned reputation of its client, Alpha-Harris Solicitors explained: “In reaction to these vexation and scandalous publications by the EFCC, our firm has taken up the challenge by filing relevant court processes to set aside the scandalous and defamatory publications. The processes are currently pending before the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja Division.
“On realising that the team of the EFCC officials are only concerned with pursuing debt recovery for the personal interest of Alausa Power Limited, we approached the High Court of Lagos State in suit No. ID/15471MFHR/2023 Owumi Ikom & 2Ors Vs. EFCC and Alausa Power Limited & Others seeking declaratory reliefs and injunction restraining EFCC from further harassment arrest and/or detention of our Client regarding the rental Agreement between Alausa Power and us,” Alpha-Harris Solicitors said in a statement and full page advert editorials in some national daily newspapers.
The solicitors to Mr. Ikomi added: “To put the records straight, we wish to state unequivocally that there was nothing like internet fraud, neither is there anything like impersonation or obtaining under false pretences that was committed by our client in his transaction with Alausa Power. What we suspect is that, (it does appear) few bad eggs in the employment of the EFCC may be using their position in the commission to work as debt recovery agents in pursuit of the commercial interest of Alausa Power Limited in abuse of their offices.”
Stating that the contract agreement between its client and Alausa Power Limited contains Arbitration Clause for resolution of any dispute arising from the contract, “as the issue arose, we served Notice of Arbitration on Alausa Power for referral of the dispute to Arbitration as stipulated by the contract.”
