BREAKING: Police withdraws 90-count charge against Peace Corps Boss

macfranc007 November 08, 2017 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Nigerian newspapers 24/7 Jerrywright Ukwu

- The Nigeria Police Force has withdrawn the 90-count charge instituted against the National Commandant of the Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN), Dickson Akoh

- This was even as formal trial of the suit had not commenced

- The police reduced the 90-count charge to only 13, by dropping 77 of the charges

The Nigerian Police, on Wednesday, November 8, withdrew the 90-count charge instituted against the National Commandant of the Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN), Dickson Akoh.

NAIJ.com gathered that the 90-count charge filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, was withdrawn by the police, even as formal trial of the suit had not commenced.

Although, a new 13-count charge has been brought to replace the initially filed 90-count charge. No reason was given by the police for the sudden withdrawal of the 90-count charge.

Police withdraws 90-count charge against Peace Corps Boss, Akoh

The Peace Corps of Nigeria has been having a running battle with the Nigerian police. Source: Twitter

NAIJ.com however gathered that the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) had faulted the bogus charges brought against Akoh early this year.

The AGF office was said to have described most of the charges as frivolous, baseless and lacking ingredients to substantiate in any court of law.

A team of legal expert was said to have been put in place by the AGF to review the 90-count charge and came to the conclusion that the charges be reduced and compressed to only 13.

A counsel from the AGF office, Mrs TVC Kuku informed Justice John Tsoho that the AGF had amended the charge and reduced the 90-count charge to only 13, by dropping 77 of the charges in the old charge sheet.

The Counsel submitted that, the defendant (Akoh), had not been served with the amended charge personally, as required by law and pleaded with the presiding judge to grant adjournment in the matter, to enable the defendant be served in line with the provision of the law.

Counsel to the Defendant, John Ochogwu of Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN) chambers did not object to the request for adjournment for the prosecution.

Justice Tsoho said, upon discovery that the police acted in bad fate in freezing the accounts in the first instance, he would have no option than to set aside the order of a magistrate court in Wuse and that of the Federal High Court.

Justice Tsoho in his ruling, set aside the order of a magistrate court in Wuse and that of the Federal High Court both in Abuja authorizing the freezing of PCN accounts.

The judge held that the police engaged in gross abuse of court process on the ground that, similar order freezing the PCN accounts was obtained at a magistrate court in Wuse, Abuja and was set aside by the same magistrate court following a counter motion of the PCN.

Judge said it was wrong of the police to have suppressed facts on the magistrate court matter before approaching the Federal High Court for the same order, to freeze the accounts, adding that, “from whatever way the matter is looked, the police acted in bad fate against the court,” thereby ordering the commercial banks to unfreeze the accounts.

Recently, a coalition of Civil Society Organisations called on the Nigerian police to vacate the headquarters of the Peace Corps of Nigeria in the interest of peace, justice and fairness.

They lambasted the Nigerian police for misleading the Federal High Court and the Nigerian populace about the activities of the Corps, specifically referring to affidavits deposed to by one Sgt. Philip Tumba and filed at the Federal High Court on Monday, 23rd, on behalf of the police.

NAIJ.com gathered that in the said affidavits, the police denied sealing off Peace Corps office.

If any police officer misbehaves with you, call any of these numbers - on NAIJ.com