The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, has had all contempt cases against him dismissed by the Federal Capital Territory’s High Court, along with all conviction decisions for contempt.
After hearing an appeal made by the EFCC Chairman, Justice Chizoba Oji on Thursday ordered the proceedings to be suspended.
The application was brought 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.
The court found 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.
Recall that Bawa was earlier this week convicted to Kuje correctional facilities for contempt of court, pending the setting aside of the order.
Justice Oji ruled that the EFCC Chairman failed to obey an order of November 21, 2018.
The court had instructed the return of seized assets comprising the sum of N40 million and a Range Rover.