Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Oba Maduabuchi, has dismissed claims by businessman Jim Okolo over a pending legal dispute, insisting that the matter has already been concluded in court.
This comes amidst a judgement from Federal High Court in Abuja, which had dismissed a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Chief Jim Chimezie Okolo, thereby allowing his ongoing prosecution for multiple criminal allegations, including intimidation and attempted extortion, to proceed.
In a ruling delivered by Justice G.K. Olotu in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/197/2021, the court declared that the arrest, investigation, and subsequent prosecution of Chief Jim Okolo by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) were legal and constitutionally valid.
In an interview on THISDAY Live Sunday Talk show with Dr Reuben Abati, Oba Maduabuchi SAN clarified that the judgement was delivered after both counsels were duly notified.
According to SAN “Marshal Abubakar argued the case for Jim Okolo and when the judgement was ready, all of us were contacted on phone and the judgement was delivered.”
“So I don’t know where Okolo is getting the idea that the matter is still alive.”
“It has completely been dismissed and terminated, so he’s just being mysterious not to know that his case has been thrown out,” he stated.
When asked about the substantive issue between his client and Okolo, Maduabuchi was categorical.
“No, there is no matter, it’s not pending anywhere,” he said.
However, he explained that the only active case involving Okolo is the one filed by the Federal Government.
“That is a criminal prosecution by the Attorney General of the Federation, not by Engr. Emeka Okwuosa, CON. We wrote our petition to the DSS because Okolo and his group had already boasted that the police were in their pocket and would not act against them. ”
“The DSS investigated and later forwarded the file to the Director of Public Prosecutions. ”
“It was established that Jim Okolo knew nothing about the AKK project and was only a goal-digger threatening the life of Sir Emeka Okwuosa.”
“That was why the DPP charged him to court on a 17-count charge.”
“We don’t have any case with him,” he explained.
Maduabuchi SAN also alleged that further investigations revealed more damaging activities by Okolo.
“When the DSS was investigating, they discovered that he had been parading himself as a member of the House of Representatives for Idemili North/South and using that false claim to collect money from people with promises of jobs.”
“This is not somebody that should be taken seriously,” he added.
On claims by Okolo that he secured the AKK contract for Okwuosa in exchange for a $5 million finder’s fee, the SAN dismissed it as “a cocktail of lies and fabrication.”
He said, “Dr. Abati, in the oil industry where contracts of $2 billion and above are discussed, Jim Okolo would not even be allowed near the gate.”
“When he was arrested, he claimed one Mrs. Ogbue, then MD of PPMC, helped him secure the contract.”
“The DSS invited her and she denied ever knowing him. She worked in the downstream sector and had nothing to do with the contract.”
“So how can you secure a contract for someone you didn’t even know at the time?”
Reacting to why some litigants prefer taking cases to the media, Maduabuchi said no serious lawyer would abandon the courtroom for press campaigns.
“There’s no serious lawyer that leaves his chambers to start befriending the press. You do your work in your chambers.”
“The lawyers that once represented Okolo, Alex Ejesieme, SAN and Femi Falana, SAN, eventually withdrew from the case after realizing he had no grounds.”
“He is just a goal-digger, a meddlesome interloper.”
“Going to the press is only a tactic for people who want to ensnare others.”
“He is not a serious human being and should not be taken seriously at all and the Certified copy is here “ he said.
Recall that Justice A.Y Shafa of a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Gwagwalada remanded Jim Chimezie Okolo at the Kuje Correctional Centre for impersonation and job racketeering.
He’s been prosecuted by the AGF on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence, after the DSS investigation of his alleged criminal activities
The offences were contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) and Section 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act. 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.
Chief Okolo is also facing prosecution in FRN v. Jim Okolo & 3 Ors. (Charge No: CR/109/22), before Justice S.U. Bature of the FCT High Court, Maitama, Abuja. The 17-count charge includes allegations of criminal intimidation, fabrication of evidence, giving false information to mislead public officers, and perjury.