ABUJA – The Federal Capital Territory High Court has convicted Abdulrasheed Bawa, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for contempt of court in relation to his agency’s failure to comply with an earlier order of the court.
In a ruling on Tuesday, Justice Chizoba Oji held that the chairman of the anti-graft agency, is in contempt of the order of the court made on November 21, 2018, directing the commission to return to an applicant, his Range Rover (super charge) and the sum of N40 million.
She also ordered that Bawa should be committed to prison at Kuje Correctional Centre Abuja for his disobedience, and continued disobedience of the said order until he purges himself of the contempt.
The judge rejected the arguments put forward by the lawyer to the EFCC, Francis Jirbo to justify his client’s action.
The ruling delivered on October 28, 2022 was on a motion on notice marked filed by Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Rufus Adeniyi Ojuawo, a one-time Director of Operations at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
Ojuawo had, in the motion, complained that the EFCC declined to comply with the order, for the release of his seized property, made by the court in a judgment delivered on November 21, 2018.
The court ruled further, that, “having continued wilfully in disobedience to the order of this court, he should be committed to prison at Kuje Correctional Centre for his disobedience, and continued disobedience of the said order of court made on November 21, 2018, until he purges himself of the contempt.
“The Inspector General of Police shall ensure that the order of this honourable court is executed forthwith,” the judge declared.
Justice Orji, however, rejected the arguments put forward by the lawyer to the EFCC, Francis Jirbo, to justify his client’s action.
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