Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate police lawyer Ibrahim Mohammed for filing criminal charges against Senator Stella Oduah without the authority of the anti-graft agency. The judge handed over Mohammed to the EFCC after discovering that he had filed an 8-count criminal charge against the former Minister of Aviation in the name of the EFCC.
The charges against Senator Oduah were related to her alleged complicity in regards to her National Youth Service Corps certificate and fraudulently receiving money from the Federal Government. However, when the case was called in court, Senator Oduah was not present. Mohammed, identifying himself as a lawyer with the Police Legal Department, Force Headquarters, Abuja, informed the court that Senator Oduah had not been served with the charge and had cited illness as the reason for her absence.
Justice Omotosho questioned Mohammed about whether the EFCC was aware of the charges since the case was being prosecuted by the police. Mohammed evaded the judge’s question and admitted that he had left the EFCC in November 2022 when he was redeployed back to the police from the Benin office.
The judge’s directive to the EFCC to investigate Mohammed underscores the irregularity of filing criminal charges without proper authority. The case against Senator Oduah remains pending until she is properly served with the charges and appears in court.
