application against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),
by former General Manager, Kwara State Television Authority, Alhaji
Abdulfatai Adewale Adebowale, seeking the court to compel the Commission
to produce the reports of the sale of Kwara State government’s
properties from 1999, till date.Justice Oyinloye in quashing the application said he sympathised with
the applicant but added that the law is not about sympathy. He stated
that the application lacked merit and dismissed it, accordingly.
“The need for the applicant to prove to this honourable Court that the
reports about the sale of Kwara State Government Properties from 1999,
till date was in the custody of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
is very high. The appropriate authority to apply for this document is
the Kwara State Government, who set up the panel to investigate the sale
of Kwara State Government’s properties”, he stated.
“What the applicant asked for is forbidden, it’s in serious violation
with the provisions of the evidence acts, the prosecution has
demonstrated that all the needed documents in this case have been
attached to the charge and this position has not been challenged by the
applicant”.
The Ilorin Zonal Office of the Commission had on November 6, 2019,
arraigned Adebowale before Justice Sikiru Oyinloye on a six count-
charge, bordering on land fraud and obtaining by false pretence.
Count three of the charge states: “That you, Abdulfatai Adewale
Adebowale being a public officer, as the General Manager of Kwara State
Television Authority, sometime between May and June 2015 in Ilorin
within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Kwara State, used your
office to confer corrupt advantage upon yourself, when you received a
cash deposit of the sum of N2,350,000 (Two Million Three Hundred and
Fifty Thousand Naira)through your Stanbic Ibtc Bank account number
0007306612 from Sulyman Abdulkareem being proceeds from the sale of land
allocated to staff of Kwara State Television and thereby committed an
offence contrary to and punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt
Practices and other Related Offences Act, 2000.”
Justice Oyinloye after dismissing the application adjourned till March
4, 2020, for continuation of trial.