Court saves EFCC chairman from going to jail, nullifies conviction for contempt

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in its judgement has saved the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, from going to prison by upturning the contempt proceedings and all the orders of conviction for contempt of court against the EFCC Chairman.

The presiding judge of the FCT High Court, Justice Chizoba Oji, after hearing an application by the EFCC Chairman, pursuant to Section 6(6) (a) and Section 36(1) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), Section 91 of the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act, Cap S6 Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria  2004 and other relevant enactments, ruled that at the time of the order, the EFCC Chairman was not in contempt of court as he had complied with the order that the Respondent’s Range Rover be released and by several internal memoranda, the Applicant had initiated the commission’s internal mechanism to ensure the payment of the sum of N40, 000,000 to the Respondent.

Justice Chizoba Oji, had in an earlier judgment on Tuesday, held that Bawa was in contempt of the order of the court made on November 21, 2018, directing the commission to return to an applicant, his Range Rover and the sum of N40 million.

The Judge had 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.

Justice Oji had further directed the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, to ensure that the order of this court was executed forthwith.