Fraud Trial: Court Clears ICPC In Adoga’s Rights Violation Case

The Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Jabi, Abuja, has dismissed a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Joel Adoga, a defendant standing trial alongside former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over alleged fraud-related offences.

According to Ireporter Online, Justice M.S. Idris, who delivered the ruling, held that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) did not infringe on Adoga’s constitutional rights during its investigation. The court ruled that the anti-corruption agency acted within the limits of the law.

Adoga had approached the court alleging that the ICPC violated his fundamental rights during the course of its investigation. He claimed that he was denied access to his family members and legal representatives and was allegedly compelled to make statements against his will.

Based on his claims, Adoga requested several legal remedies, including a declaration that his rights were breached, an order of habeas corpus, financial compensation and restrictions preventing the ICPC from further investigating, detaining or prosecuting him.

However, the ICPC rejected the allegations, telling the court that Adoga was neither unlawfully arrested nor subjected to intimidation, coercion or any form of inhumane treatment.

The commission explained that Adoga was invited for questioning after receiving a petition and obtaining reasonable grounds linking him to alleged corrupt practices and suspicious financial transactions involving suspected diversion of Kaduna State Government funds.

The anti-graft agency stated that Adoga was granted administrative bail during the investigation and was only remanded following a valid court order. It added that after investigations were concluded, he was charged before the Federal High Court in Kaduna, where he was arraigned and granted bail.

The ICPC maintained that any continued detention was not caused by the commission but resulted from Adoga’s inability to meet the bail conditions set by the trial court.

It further stated that Adoga was never denied access to his lawyers or family members, adding that statements obtained during the investigation were voluntarily made, recorded under caution and done in the presence of his legal counsel.

In his judgment, Justice Idris ruled that Adoga failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove that the ICPC violated his constitutional rights. The court consequently dismissed the suit and upheld the actions of the commission during the investigation process.

Adoga is currently facing a 10-count charge alongside former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai before the Federal High Court in Kaduna.

The prosecution alleges that El-Rufai received various sums of money in United States dollars through his domiciliary account with Guaranty Trust Bank between 2016 and 2023. Investigators also accused Adoga of making several payments, including a total of $320,800, to the former governor in separate transactions.

The prosecution further alleged that other deposits were made into the account by different individuals and are suspected to be proceeds linked to unlawful activities. Adoga was also accused of allegedly conspiring with El-Rufai to conceal the source of a $10,000 transaction in 2019.

Following the court ruling, the ICPC reaffirmed its commitment to respecting constitutional rights and following due process while carrying out its mandate of investigating and prosecuting corruption-related offences.