The Supreme Court has thrown out two appeals filed by the Rivers State Attorney General and the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, seeking to  halt  the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, from revisiting a corruption case against Drl Peter Odili.

Former state governor Odili secured a perpetual injunction in 2007 from a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, preventing the EFCC from probing or arresting him. The ruling also shielded the Rivers State Government’s finances from scrutiny.

In a bid to maintain the injunction, the Attorney General and Speaker sought to overturn a Court of Appeal decision that allowed the EFCC to challenge the order. They took the matter to the Supreme Court, but their efforts were unsuccessful.

During proceedings, Justice John Okoro, who led a five-member panel, questioned the relevance of the appeal. Appellant’s lawyer, S. A. Somiari, sought to defend the case, prompting the court to advise that the substantive appeal should first be heard at the Court of Appeal.

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Seeing the court’s position, Somiari applied to withdraw the appeal. EFCC’s lawyer, Abubakar Mahmud and other respondents did not oppose the withdrawal.

Justice Okoro ruled that the appeal was dismissed since it was voluntarily withdrawn without objection.

A similar case, filed by the Speaker under suit number SC/CV/447/2018, received the same judgment.

With this ruling, the EFCC can now proceed with its challenge against the 2007 injunction, potentially reopening an investigation into Odili’s tenure as RRivers State governor.

Crediblenewsng.com