Kogi High Court Summons EFCC Chairman For Alleged Contempt

Kogi High Court Summons EFCC Chairman For Alleged Contempt

The Kogi High Court in Lokoja has issued an order for the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, to appear before it on May 13. This directive stems from allegations of contempt of court, with Justice I.A. Jamil of High Court IV presiding over the matter…..READ ALSO Why I Didn’t Appear In Court — Yahaya Bello Opens Up

The order comes in response to Suit No: HCL/68M/2024 and Motion No: HCL/190M/2024 initiated by ex-Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi. Bello accuses the EFCC of disobeying a court order issued on February 9, which restrained the commission from certain actions pending the determination of a substantive motion.

Justice Jamil’s decision was prompted by a motion ex-parte filed by Yahaya Bello, seeking to compel the EFCC chairman to show cause why an Order of Committal should not be made against him. The judge granted Bello’s request and ordered Olukoyede to appear before the court to address the contempt charge.

The court emphasized that the EFCC’s actions allegedly contravened the existing court order, constituting contempt. Therefore, it deemed it necessary to grant the prayers sought by Bello and uphold the principle of “Audi Ultra Patem” (listen to the other side).

The matter is scheduled for further proceedings on May 13, providing the EFCC chairman an opportunity to respond to the allegations brought against him.

The summoning of the EFCC chairman follows an incident on April 17, where EFCC operatives reportedly besieged the residence of former governor Yahaya Bello in an attempt to effect his arrest. However, Bello was later escorted away by the convoy of the current Kogi Governor, Alhaji Usman Ododo.

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