A Kogi Excessive Courtroom in Lokoja on Friday, April 26 ordered the Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede, to seem earlier than it on Could 13, to indicate trigger why an order of committal shouldn’t be made in opposition to him for allegedly disobeying a court docket order.
Justice I.A. Jamil of Excessive Courtroom IV gave the order whereas ruling in Go well with No: HCL/68M/2024 and Movement No: HCL/190M/2024, introduced earlier than him by ex-Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi in Lokoja.
“The mentioned act was carried out by the Respondent (EFCC) in violation of the order, which was legitimate and subsisting after they carried out the act.
“That very same act of the respondent quantities to contempt, ” the decide mentioned.
The EFCC boss is dealing with a contempt cost for allegedly finishing up “some acts upon which they (the EFCC) have been restrained” by the court docket on February 9, pending the willpower of the substantive originating movement.
Justice Jamil’s order was primarily based on a movement ex-parte filed by Yahaya Bello by means of his lawyer, M.S. Yusuf.
Bello prayed to the court docket for an order to difficulty and serve the respondent (EFCC Chairman) with Type 49 Discover to indicate trigger why an Order of Committal shouldn’t be made on Olukoyede.
“The Choose, after listening to the arguments of the applicant’s counsel, the submission and reveals hooked up within the written deal with, granted Bello’s prayers and ordered Olukoyede to be summoned to seem earlier than the court docket to reply the contempt cost.
“The applicant’s software earlier than me is to the impact that the respondent has carried out some acts upon which they’ve been restrained by this court docket on Feb. 9, pending the willpower of the substantive movement on discover earlier than this court docket.
“That the mentioned act was carried out by the respondent in violation of the order which was legitimate and subsisting after they carried out these acts. That very same act of the respondent quantities to an act of contempt.
“It’s in opposition to the above details that this Courtroom hereby grants the prayers sought according to the precept of “Audi Extremely Patem” (take heed to the opposite aspect).
“This matter is adjourned to Could 13 for the respondent’s chairman to seem earlier than this court docket in reply to type 49 ordered to be served on him,” the Choose mentioned.
EFCC operatives had on April 17 laid siege on the residence of the previous governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, in a bid to arrest him, however he was later whisked away by the convoy of the Kogi Governor, Alhaji Usman Ododo.