Senator Rochas Okorocha’s absence at the Federal High Court Abuja on Tuesday (today) stalled his arraignment for alleged N2.9 billion corruption.
Okorocha, a former Imo State governor, was to be arraigned at the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, but he was nowhere to be found near the court premises.
Six other defendants billed to be arraigned along with Okorocha on 17-count corruption charges, were in court alongside their lawyers except for the senator.
When the matter was mentioned, EFCC’s counsel, Mr Cosmos Ugwu, told Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo, “My Lord, the business of today is ordinarily for arraignment but it’s regrettable that all efforts on our part to serve the first defendant, Rochas Okorocha have proved abortive.
“The security around him has not been helpful and I wish to apply for an adjournment to enable us to serve him and then, arraign him.”
After other defendants in the charge refused to object to the request for adjournment, Justice Ekwo then fixed March 28 to enable the EFCC serve Okorocha with the charge and to take his plea.
The EFCC is accusing Okorocha of conspiring with others, including a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and five companies, to steal N2.9 billion public funds.
Other defendants in the case are Anyim Nyerere Chinenye, Naphtali International Limited, Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited, Consolid Projects Consulting Limited, Pramif International Limited, and Legend World Concepts Limited.
Okorocha is the senator representing Imo West senatorial district in the Senate.