The former National Sports Commission Director-General was last month suspended by FIFA from all football-related activities for three years for allegedly demanding money to vote for one of the countries bidding to host the 2018 World Cup.
He was also fined 10,000 Swiss francs.
Adamu said that the move to prosecute him by the EFCC was tantamount to jumping the gun.
He said since his trial was still on, “any unguarded statement” from any quarter might be preemptive and prejudicial to the findings of the appeal.
His lawyer, Mr. Sayo Odumosu, stated this in a petition to the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mrs. Farida Waziri.
In the petition, Odumosu expressed concern that prosecuting his client in Nigeria would amount to double jeopardy.
He said, “It is common knowledge that our client was alleged to have offered to sell his vote by FIFA. Consequently, FIFA set up a quasi-judicial and a fact finding panel by its Ethics Committee to investigate the allegation levelled against our client, an executive member of the organisation.
“Surprisingly, and to our client’s chagrin, your organisation, the EFCC, had made several frivolous statements to the press bearing on the allegation which was never established by then but casting aspersion on the person of our client in the public court.”
Odumosu added that despite the indictment of Adamu by FIFA’s Ethics Committee, he still had the right of appeal which was still within the rules of FIFA and enshrined in the nation’s constitution.
He stated that the EFCC should not be seen to be judgmental and presenting a verdict of guilt in the public domain to the superior FIFA body as the appeal was still part of the investigation process.
According to him, the documents which are requested by the commission are subject to review at the appeal, thereby making the EFCC’s planned action premature.
Odumosu said, “The bundle of the judgment is still subject to review. Appeal is the continuation of what happened during the first trial. If Adamu succeeds in his appeal, what happens?
“If your answer is in the affirmation in this regard, then it becomes a esponsibility on your part to ensure that the utterances from your organisation should be guided and not conclusive as being made according to the press.
“That is why the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission should not jump the gun.”
Source:http://www.punchng.com/
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