The management of Sun Newspaper owned by the forner Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu who was sentenced to 12 years in prison for a N7.65 billion fraud has reacted to the sealing of their office by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Confirming the sealing of their corporate headquarters at 2, Coscharis Street, Kirikiri Industrial Layout, Apapa, Lagos by EFCC agents escorted by heavily armed policemen on Saturday, The Sun said the are yet to understand the legal basis for the action.
The EFCC officials, who came in a white Toyota bus with registration number, ABUJA BWR-644GA, wrote on The Sun’s fence, “EFCC, keep off.”
They also advised staff to collect their personal belongings from the office as they will come back to seal the premises completely.
The management said: “We do not understand the legal basis for this EFCC action. It is on record that there is a pending appeal at the Supreme Court with Suit No: SC/546/2018 wherein The Sun Publishing Limited appealed against the Judgement delivered by the Court of Appeal on the interim forfeiture order made against it by a Federal High Court in 2007 based on ex parte proceeding. The Notice of Appeal and Motion for Stay of Execution were duly served on EFCC by the bailiffs of the Court.
“It is also pertinent to state that EFCC vide a letter written by Counsel to The Sun Publishing Limited, dated 22nd May, 2018 and duly received by one Caleb Peter on behalf of Rotimi Jacobs & Co. was further put on notice of the pending appeal at the Supreme Court and advised to stay action in the matter pending the hearing of the Motion for Stay of execution and the appeal.
“Again, it is instructive to state that The Sun Publishing Limited was not a party to the case of EFCC vs. Orji Uzor Kalu & 2 Others, so we do not see why the Judgment, in that case, should lead to attempt to seal The Sun Publishing Limited premises.
DP
