In a recent development at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, Justice Joseph Oyewole delivered the lead judgment on Thursday, overturning contempt proceedings initiated by former Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State against the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede. Justices A.M. Talba and D.Z. Senchi concurred with the decision.
The Court of Appeal set aside the contempt proceedings in a unanimous judgment, citing technicalities and noting that the trial judge failed to extend certain orders in the final judgment of April 17. The court ruled that the second issue raised by the respondent had become irrelevant, describing it as an academic exercise. Additionally, the court imposed a cost of N1 million against the respondent.
Previously, the appellate court had granted an ex-parte motion for a stay of the contempt proceedings against the EFCC Chairman filed by ex-Governor Bello. The court also allowed the EFCC’s application to serve appeal processes on Bello through substituted means.
This decision comes after the EFCC Chairman was summoned by the Kogi State High Court in May to explain why he should not be imprisoned for allegedly disobeying court orders. The High Court had earlier ruled that the EFCC’s actions constituted contempt, stemming from an ex-parte motion filed by Bello seeking redress for actions taken against him despite a restraining court order.
With the Court of Appeal’s intervention, the legal battle between Yahaya Bello and the EFCC Chairman over alleged contempt charges takes a new turn, marking a significant development in the ongoing legal saga.