Court Revokes Search Warrant On Justice Odili’s Residence, Says It Was Due To ‘Misrepresentation’

The Chief Magistrate Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting at Wuse zone 6, Abuja, has revoked the search warrant it issued in respect of the Abuja residence of Justice Mary Odili.

The warrant was revoked on Friday after the court said the police officer who applied for it misrepresented the facts of the matter.

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The court said ”Upon misrepresentation  to this honourable court that led to the issuance of a search warrant in favour of Joint Panel Recovery, Ministry of Justice against House No 9, Imo State Street, Maitama Abuja, dated 29th October, 2021.

“In view of the above fact, the said search warrant is hereby revoked.”

The order was given by the Chief Magistrate, Emmanuel A.Iyanna

One CSP Lawrence Ajodo, who claimed to be attached to the Joint Panel Recovery of the Ministry of Justice, had applied to the court for a search warrant on Odili’s residence.

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He had claimed in an affidafit that he was acting based on the suspicion of a complainant,  Aliyu Umar Ibrahim,  that some “illegal activities” were taking place atthe residence.

It now appears that CSP Ajodo may be acting on his own.

THE WHISTLER had reached out to Dr Umar Gwandu, Special Adviser on Media to the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who  said he was not aware of any request by the panel to search Odili’s residence.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had earlier denied reports that it carried out a search operation at the residence.

Reports had claimed on Friday that EFCC operatives stormed Odili’s home to execute a search warrant as part of investigations of her husband, Peter Odili, who is a former governor of Rivers State, for alleged corruption.

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But a statement signed by its Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, said  the commission was not responsible for the raid.

Peter Odili, who was governor of Rivers State from 1999 to 2007, had in 2007 obtained a perpetual injunction from a Federal High Court which barred the EFCC from investigating or prosecuting him.

THE WHISTLER reported last week that a Federal Hight Court sitting in Abuja had also ordered the EFCC to remove the former governor’s name from its watchlist.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, who presided over the court sitting, also ordered the Nigeria Immigration Service to release Odili’s international passport to him.

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