The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has ordered a stay of proceedings in the contempt charge against the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, over the planned trial of former Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.
News About Nigeria reports that the Kogi State High Court’s Justice Jamil Abdullahi summoned the EFCC Chairman to appear on May 13 and explain why he shouldn’t be imprisoned for allegedly defying his orders in the case against the former governor.
However, dissatisfied with the court summons, Olukoyede took the matter to the Court of Appeal, filing two motions for the stay of execution of the summons and for the processes to be served on the former governor through substituted means.
A three-member panel of Justices of the appellate court, led by Justice Joseph Oyewole, granted the two motions, finding merit in the applications.
The court fixed May 20 for the substantive appeal to be heard.
The contempt charge followed a suit filed by Bello, who is facing a 19-count charge preferred against him by the EFCC.
Bello contended that the EFCC Chairman flouted an interim order made by the high court on February 9, when he directed officials of the Commission to lay siege at his Abuja home in a bid to effect his arrest.
The EFCC Chairman’s summons to appear before the high court was based on his alleged disobedience of the court order, which Bello claimed occurred when he led the anti-graft agency to approach the Federal High Court in Abuja to obtain an ex parte order for his arrest and trial for alleged money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80.2 billion.
Recall that Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja recently issued a bench warrant against Bello due to his repeated failure to appear in court.
However, when the operatives of the commission went to secure his arrest at his 9, Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja residence, Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, foiled the attempt and made away with the immediate-past governor.
The EFCC, thereafter, declared Bello wanted for evading trial.
