The Apex Court on Wednesday lambasted the Counsel to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Jacobs Rotimi (SAN) for filing an incompetent application in the appeal that emanated from false assets declaration suit brought against the Senate President, Abubakar Saraki by the Federal Government.
Rotimi who had earlier filed three applications before the Supreme Court challenging the ruling of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) and the Court of Appeal failed to file appropriate exhibits of the two lower courts along with other processes.
Irked by the development, the presiding Justice, Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed told Rotimi, at the resumed hearing of the appeal that the court was disappointed that a lawyer of his standing could file such as incompetent application knowing what the extant rules of the court are before such applications are filed.
According to him “This court is disappointed that a lawyer of your standing should file such an incompetent application. The Supreme Court did not expect such an application from you," he added.
Rotimi who attempted to defend his watery and incompetent applications was rebuffed by other Supreme Court Justices who insisted that his applications were incompetent. After acknowledging his errors in the applications, he pleaded that he be allowed to file the necessary affidavits with the exhibits.
Following his plea, Justice Mohammed gave him 24 hours to do so before adjourning hearing in the appeal indefinitely. He stated that the counsel on both sides would be communicated on the next hearing date.
Recall that Saraki had approached the Supreme Court to challenge the ruling of an appeal court which ordered him to defend 3 out of the 18 count charges on false assets declaration brought against him by the Federal Government. The Code of Conduct Tribunal had earlier discharged and acquitted him of all the charges.
Meanwhile, reactions have continued to trail the comments made by the Supreme Court Justices regarding the competence of the EFCC lawyer. Some claim that the reason why the EFCC is losing cases in court may not be unconnected with the filing of incompetent applications.
