EFCC docks Kaduna lawyer Steve Adamu for lying against his landlord

By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had docked a Kaduna lawyer identified as Steve Adamu for allegedly lying against his landlord in a petition to the anti-graft agency.

The lawyer had in the petition asked the EFCC to investigate his landlord for acquiring properties without any means of livelihood.

Specifically, Adamu, according to statement by Dele Oyewale, the spokesperson for the anti-graft agency. alleged in the petition that his landlord had no visible means of livelihood, yet he was acquiring costly automobiles and developed landed properties, all about town.

He sent the petition to the Kaduna office of EFCC.

But the anti-graft agency said its investigations of the petition sent in 2022 proved the allegations to be false and malicious.

This prompted the arrest and subsequent arraignment of the lawyer before Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court, sitting in Kaduna State on a one-count charge of false information peddling.

The charge reads: “That you Barrister Steve Adamu (m) on or about the 15th day of September, 2022 in Kaduna, Kaduna State, within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, committed an offence to wit: wilfully gave false information to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which information was used to carry out investigation on your complaint to the Commission, which information you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 16(1) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004 and punishable under Section 16(2) of the same Act.

He pleaded “not guilty”, prompting the prosecution counsel, M.E. Eimonye to ask the court for a trial date, while the defence counsel urged the court to grant the defendant bail.

Justice Khobo, thereafter, ordered for the remand of the defendant in the Nigerian Correctional Centre and adjourned the matter till December 20, 2025 for hearing of the bail application.