[Weird item # 5.]
Ex police chief run over by squad car
Reuters
Thu Jun 30, 2005 9:10 AM ET
By Camillus Eboh
http://today.reuters.com/PrinterFriendlyPopup.aspx?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyID=uri:2005-06-30T131018Z_01_L29316684_RTRIDST_0_ODD-NIGERIA-CORRUPTION-DC.XML
ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's graft-tainted former police chief fell out of a
squad car which then rolled over his legs Wednesday in a bizarre incident
after a court ruled he would face a second trial on corruption charges.
Tafa Balogun is accused of stealing and laundering $100 million in his
three years as Inspector General of Police in one of the most high-profile
cases resulting from a government crackdown on graft. He denies the
accusations.
Balogun is already facing trial on 50 charges brought by the government's
anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC). Wednesday, a court in Abuja ruled he would face a second trial to
cover further charges.
Proceedings drifted into farce after the decision was read.
Police tried to drive Balogun away to complete bail formalities but his
defense lawyer resisted and in the confusion Balogun was shoved into a
police car which sped off before the doors were closed. A short distance
away Balogun fell out of the car and the back wheels went over his legs.
He returned to court, limping and covered in dust.
"This is not a prosecution but a persecution. This is a vendetta," he told
the court. He said he had a broken leg, although he was still able to stand.
Just after speaking, Balogun apparently fainted and was carried out and
taken to hospital.
Rotimi Jacobs, who represented the EFCC at the court hearing, said the
attempt to take Balogun away had been a mistake, while the judge called the
police action "barbaric."
It was unclear whether there would be any repercussions.
Balogun is one of the most senior figures facing prosecution in President
Olusegun Obasanjo's anti-corruption drive. Two ministers and the president
of the senate have lost their jobs.
The campaign is part of government attempts to persuade Western creditors
that Nigeria, the world's eighth biggest oil exporter, has purged official
corruption sufficiently to merit debt relief. No senior figure has been
convicted.
Nigeria is the world's third most corrupt country, according to a
perceptions index compiled by Transparency International.
The EFCC says Balogun should undergo two trials because the Federal High
Court, where the original trial will take place, does not have jurisdiction
over all the crimes of which he stands accused.
Justice Salisu Garba of the Abuja High Court Wednesday ruled in favor of
the EFCC and said Balogun would face 92 charges of corruption in a second
trial on July 23. Balogun's defense lawyers had argued he should be tried
once.
================================
George Antunes, Political Science Dept
University of Houston; Houston, TX 77204
Voice: 713-743-3923 Fax: 713-743-3927
antunes at uh dot edu
Reply with a "Thank you" if you liked this post.
_______________________________________________
MEDIANEWS mailing list
medianews@twiar.org
To unsubscribe send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
