A Federal High Court siting in Abuja, on Monday struck out charges of non-declaration of assets instituted against  former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu by the defunct Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property.

The dissolved panel then led by Mr. Okoi Obono-Obla had in 2018 instituted the case marked FHC/ABJ/CR/62/2018 against Ekweremadu, alleging that he had refused to declare his assets upon being served the panel’s “notice to declare”.

The AGF office took over the case and other suits being handled by the SPIP upon a presidential directive dissolving the panel in 2019.

Justice Binta Nyako struck out the case against Ekweremadu after the prosecuting counsel from the AGF office, Mr Pius Akutah, said the former lawyer handling the case for the panel had disappeared with the case file.

Justice Nyako said: “So, as it is today, you don’t know the case against the defendant since you don’t have the file. I am going to strike out the case, when you are ready you can come back.

“The case is hereby struck out for want of diligent prosecution. The prosecution is allowed to come back whenever they are ready to proceed with the case.”