- “The IGP should unfailingly nab and throw him into Kuje Prison,” judge rules
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–Pix(above): Abdulrasheed Bawa, EFCC chair
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, has, again, been committed to prison for disobedience of lawful court order.
This is not the first time Bawa will be committed to prison on account of disobedience of court order.
Sometime in August, last year, Bawa was committed to the same Kuje Prison for contempt of court by Justice Chizoba Oji of the FCT High Court, Maitama, in reaction to his agency’s failure to comply with an earlier order of the court.
This time, on Monday, February 6, it was the turn of Justice R.O. Ayoola of the Kogi State High Court, who, in his judgement, granted the application for committal to prison of the EFCC chairman for disobedience to a court ruling delivered on November 30, 2022, wherein the EFCC chairman was directed to produce the applicant in the case, Ali Bello.
Like Justice Oji, the court also directed the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to unfailingly ensure Bawa is nabbed and thrown into Kuje Prison for the next 14 days until he purges himself of the contempt.
Ali Bello had dragged Bawa to court for arresting and detaining him illegally, with the court ruling in his favour, only for the EFCC to arraign him for alleged money laundering three days after the ruling.
The EFCC’s applications for setting aside and staying execution of the ruling were blatantly refused for want of merit.
The court had, in Form 49, Order IX, Rule 13, marked, “HCL/697M/2022” and titled, “Notice to Show Cause Why Order of Committal Should Not Be Made,” asked the EFCC Chairman to appear before it on January 18, 2022 to explain why he should not be jailed for flouting the order given on December 12, 2022 in a case filed by Ali Bello against the EFCC and Bawa, as the 1st and 2nd respondents, respectively.
The court ordered that the EFCC and Bawa be served the motion on notice together with Form 49 by substituted means./SHARE THIS
- Tags: Abdurasheed Bawa, EFCC, Ali Bello