By Ameh Ejekwonyilo
Abuja
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday granted the request by the federal government for the extradition of a former managing director of Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC), Mr. Emmanuel Okoyomon, to face corruption charges in the United Kingdom.
The trial judge, Justice Evoh Chukwu in a judgement that lasted for about three hours also held that Okoyomon should be extradited to the UK within thirty days.
After several deferment of the judgment since December last year, the court eventually held yesterday that the defendant, Okoyomon failed to put up any reasonable counter affidavit to controvert the Attorney General of the Federation’s claims of alleged bribery against him.
“Therefore, the extradition application succeeds,” Justice Chukwu said.
Reacting shortly after the judgement, counsel to the federal government, Mr. Muslim Hassan expressed satisfaction with the judgment, however, counsel to the former (NSPMC) boss, Ike Ikeocha said they will appeal the judgment.
The court had originally reserved ruling for December 1, 2014 but adjourned on the grounds that the judgment was not ready.
The last adjournment is the fourth time the ruling was deferred in the extradition case.
It would be recalled that Okoyomon is wanted in the UK over his alleged role in the bribery scandal involving officials of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the NSPMC and Securency International Pty of Australia, between 2006 and 2008.
His counsel, Mr. Iziyon, had argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the application to extradite the respondent, that the1931 treaty which the prosecution counsel is relying upon had been repealed by Decree No 87 of 1966.
He argued that the 1931 treaty between UK and Nigeria was just an agreement, not a law.
Hassan, in response, had argued that the 1931 treaty became applicable to Nigeria in 1935 and that it was never repealed by any enactment.
He had urged the court to grant his plea based on the extradition treaty of 1931 between Nigeria and the UK which is applicable in Nigeria.
Following the October 1, 2009 launch of the polymer bank notes in Nigeria, which saw the N5, N10, and N50 notes remade in polymer material as against the original paper version, a scandal broke that CBN and NSPM officials received bribes to effect the switch to polymer.
