James Ojo, Abuja.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has asked the court to overrule a No-Case Submission filed by the suspended Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mounir Gwarzo, and former Executive Commissioner, Zakawanu Garuba.
In an amended charge filed before Justice Hussaini Baba Yusuf of the Federal Capital Territory High Court 4, sitting in Maitama, Abuja, according to the spokesperson of the Commission, Mrs Rasheedat Okoduwa, the prosecuting counsel, Raheem Adesina, asked the defendants to explain the issue of severance package benefits that were paid to Gwarzo.
“Before the counsel adopted their written addresses, the prosecuting counsel drew the attention of the court to the amended charge which was granted and the defendants took a fresh plea. The prosecuting counsel also moved a motion for extension of time to file his written address which was not opposed and was granted by the court,” she said in a statement.
Thereafter, the counsel to the defendants Abdulhakeem A. Mustapha (SAN), and Robert Emupkoeruo, adopted their written addresses before asking the court to uphold the No-Case Submission and discharge the defendants.
The prosecuting counsel also adopted his written address and urged the court to dismiss the No-Case Submission for lacking merit.
The counsel argued that the defendants relied heavily on ICPC’s Exhibit 3 to justify the payment of severance benefits to Gwarzo, whereas, the document never mentioned severance benefit.
He further argued that what was decided in the exhibit were retirement and resignation benefits for political appointees who have spent at least two years in SEC, and concluded that the word ‘severance’ was smuggled into the document purposely to confer corrupt advantage on Gwarzo because at the time he collected the money, he was neither retired nor resigned from SEC.