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Nigeria: Court Orders Arrest of Obasanjo's in-Law
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Leadership (Abuja)
1 May 2008
Posted to the web 1 May 2008
George Agba
Abuja
An Abuja chief magistrate court yesterday ordered the arrest of the national co-ordinator of Police Equipment Foundation (PEF) and a brother in-law of former president Olusegun Obasanjo, Mr. Kenny Martins, over allegations against him bordering on fraud and misappropriation of N50 billion meant for the purchase of police equipment.
The bench warrant for Martins' arrest came just as the Federal Government preferred a two-count-
charge against him and three others over alleged felony and forgery of documents relating to the Corporate Affairs Commission.
The other three accused persons charged alongside Martins are his assistant, Ibrahim Dumuje; the two lawyers who incorporated the companies for him, Joni Ichekam and Cosmos Okparam. The legal practitioners were said to have been arrested on April 17, 2008 and have been in police detention.
Ichekam and Okpara were arraigned yesterday on the two-count charge.
They were, however, granted bail after pleading not guilty.
The prosecution counsel, Stanley Nwodo, told the trial judge, Magistrate Sunday Ochimana, that Martins and Dumuje were at large.
But fiery lawyer and human rights activist, Festus Keyamo, whose petition against the PEF had nailed Martins, stood up and informed the court that Martins was not at large just as he said he is everywhere with the inspector-general of police.
Irked by the prosecution's statement, Keyamo said, "My lord, as a counsel, although not well dressed, I think I should inform the court of certain facts in this case. One of the two accused persons alleged to be at large is an in-law to former president Olusegun Obasanjo.
"Last week, he (Martins) was at the Force Headquarters where he presented 25 cars to the inspector-general of police. Last Saturday, he was at his son's wedding in Lagos, which was attended by top police officers. He has five mobile police men guarding him and they were attached to him by the IGP."
He further told the court that the best solution was to issue a bench warrant against Martins.
The prosecution counsel, Nwodo, aligned himself with Keyamo's position immediately when he said, "My lord, we wish to apply for a bench warrant against the 3rd and 4th accused persons.
"Despite persistent message to them, they have refused to honour the invitation. On Keyamo's initiative, we also apply for bench warrant against them."
The judge granted the application for bench warrant against Martins after granting bail to the two lawyers who perfected the documentation of Martin's company at the CAC.
Earlier, the defence counsel, Larry Chukwu, had prayed the court to release them on bail.
He had also agreed that bench warrant be issued on Martins and Dumuje because the allegation was basically against them.
He said, "Two lawyers spending two weeks in detention and lying on a bare floor while the primary allegation is that of fraud and forgery; and the alleged fraudsters are there parading the street and dining with the high and mighty.
"There will be no fear that the accused will abandon their lucrative jobs within the jurisdiction of this court because of these spurious, concocted and fictitious charges. The mode of their arrest was quite absurd. They were called on phone, not even by a formal invitation to come and they responded to the police call. After giving vital information to the police, they were captured like a fish and put in the police dungeon."
The prosecution counsel did not oppose the bail application. In his ruling, the judge said he had no option than to gratify the accused with the benefit of doubt.
He granted them bail in the sum of N500,000.00 each and that they must produce two reasonable sureties. He said the sureties must be either lawyers who have practised for 12 years or civil servants not below level 8. He adjourned the matter to June 4, 2008 for hearing.
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Speaking with newsmen immediately after the ruling, Keyamo said, "How would you charge an accused person said to have stolen public funds for forgery alone? What is the meaning of this entire charade that Okiro is organising?
"The inspector-general of police should be investigated over his role in this matter. I am going to send a petition against him that he should be removed from office."
Martins was on April 12, 2008 arrested by the EFCC over the same allegation of fraud and misappropriation of the N50 billion meant for the police equipment. He was granted bail and asked to go and report back to the commission with some vital documents.
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Like father inlaw,Like son inlaw.what do we expect,in nigeria,it is a family business expecialy OBJ regime.
My name is Jide Bayo I am writing this to you because of this boy has refused to give me my 12,500 USD. I read in your paper that a man called Kenny Martins usurped 50 billion naira police fund that really got me shocked because my friend whose name is Emmanuel Martins of about 30 to 32 years old duped me of 12,500 usd. He has the same face as kenny martins and bears the same name I have investigated that he is actually related to Kenny Martins but do not know if he... [Read Full Text]
"Kata Kata don bust for town". When Babangida was in power, he stole as much as possible without living very obvious proofs of how he stole the money. May be, it was much easier to steal single handedly under a military regime. Unfortunately for Obasanjo, his activities are traceable here and there like "horse piss". His daughter, himself his inlaw etc etc are all facing a plethora of heavy problems simultaneously.
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