SaharaReporters on Tuesday reported how Abdulrasheed Bawa was convicted by a High Court sitting in Maitama, Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Nigeria Police Force has claimed that it is not aware of a court judgement ordering the imprisonment of Abdulrasheed Bawa, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for contempt.
SaharaReporters on Tuesday reported how Abdulrasheed Bawa was convicted by a High Court sitting in Maitama, Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The EFCC boss was convicted of contempt of court in relation to his agency’s failure to comply with an earlier order of the court.
Justice Chizoba Oji, in a ruling, held that Bawa should be committed to prison at Kuje Correctional Centre for his disobedience, and continued disobedience of the said order of the court.
The judgement read, “The Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is in contempt of the orders of this honourable court made on November 21st, 2018 directing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abuja to return to the applicant his Range Rover (Supercharge) and the sum of N40,000,000.00 (Forty Million Naira).
“Having continued willfully 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 21st, 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 said.
The judge mandated the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, to ensure that the order of the court was executed.
Reacting to this development, the police spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi said “I am not aware of any order. Perhaps it was not addressed to us,” he told Peoples Gazette.
Justice Oji of the FCT High Court on October 28 ordered Bawa to be committed to Kuje correctional facility for willful disobedience after the commission failed to obey a prior judgement issued on November 21, 2018 regarding Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Rufus Adeniyi Ojuawo, a former NAF director of operations.