Yahaya Bello: Court summons EFCC chair over contempt

Former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello and EFCC chairman Ola Olukoyede

Yahaya Bello: Court summons EFCC chair over contempt

A Kogi State high court has ordered Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, to appear before it on May 13 to show why he should not be convicted for allegedly disobeying its order.

The presiding judge, Isa Jamil Abdullahi, gave the order on Friday while ruling in a suit No: HCL/68M/2024 and motion No: HCL/190M/2024, filed by former Kogi governor, Yahaya Bello.

Bello on February 8, Bello instituted a suit asking the court to restrain the commission from arresting him.

The court granted the injunction restraining the EFCC on February 9.

But the EFCC on March 12 filed an appeal against the order.

However, the commission has filed a notice to withdraw the appeal.

In the notice filed on April 22, the anti-graft agency said the withdrawal was predicated on the fact that events had overtaken the appeal.

The commission also admitted that the appeal was filed out of the time allowed by law.

Bello approached the court again, praying for an order to invite the EFCC chairman and slammed with a contempt of court allegation.

The judge granted Bello’s prayers and ordered Olukoyede to appear before the court to answer the contempt charge.

“The applicant’s application before me is to the effect that the respondent has carried out some acts upon which they have been restrained by this court on February 9, pending the determination of the substantive motion on notice before this court,” the judge held.

“That the said act was carried out by the respondent in violation of the order which was valid and subsisting when they carried out those acts. That same act of the respondent amounts to an act of contempt.

“It’s against the above facts that this court hereby grants the prayers sought in line with the principle of ‘Audi Ultra Patem’ (listen to the other side).

“This matter is adjourned to May 13 for the respondent’s chairman to appear before this court in answer to form 49 ordered to be served on him.”