Contempt: Court convicts EFCC chairman, orders his detention in Kuje prison

Justice Chizoba Oji of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Maitama has convicted the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Abdulrasheed Ibrahim Bawa for contempt of court over failure of his agency to comply with an earlier order of the court.

Ruling on Tuesday, Justice Oji, held Mr. Bawa in contempt of the orders of the court made on November 21, 2018.

In the judgment, the court had directed EFCC to return a Range Rover (Super charge) and the sum of forty million Naira to Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Rufus Adeniyi Ojuawo, a one-time Director of Operations at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).

The judge ruled: “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 (Super charge) 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.

Justice Orji rejected the arguments put forward by the lawyer to the EFCC, Francis Jirbo, to justify his client’s action.

The ruling delivered on October 28 was on a motion on notice marked: FCT/HC/M/52/2021 filed by Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Ojuawo.

Ojuawo had, in the motion filed by his lawyer, R.N. Ojabo, in a suit marked: FCT/HC/CR/184/2016 complained that the EFCC declined to comply with the order, for the release of his seized property, made by the court in a judgment delivered on November 21, 2018.