The EFCC has withdrawn a criminal charge before an Ikeja High Court against a surety, Tochukwu Ibe, after he helped the commission to apprehend a fleeing suspect.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mrs V. O. Agboje, the Prosecuting Counsel for the EFCC, during proceedings on Monday, informed the court of the anti-graft agency’s intent to withdraw the charge.
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“The defendant has assisted the commission in arresting the suspect for whom he stood as surety.
“On the strength of that we have the instruction of the EFCC to formally withdraw the charge before my lord,” she said.
Acceding to Agboje’s request, the Judge, Justice Olusola Williams, withdrew the charge.
Addressing Ibe, she said: “Mr Ibe, I hope you’ve learnt your lesson, you cannot stand as surety for someone whose character you are not sure of.
“Congratulations on being free, this case is struck out.”
Following the judge’s order, a visibly relieved Ibe and his Counsel Mr J. W. Dong thanked Williams for striking out the case.
NAN reports that Ibe was to face a charge of making a false statement to a public officer, contrary to Section 96 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The EFCC counsel, however, declined to give personal details of the apprehended suspect and the nature of his alleged offence. (NAN)