The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, has been convicted for contempt of Court, by a High Court sitting in Abuja.
The conviction is in relation to the failure of the anti-graft agency to comply with a November 21, 2018 court order directing it to return a Range Rover and the sum of N40 million to the applicant in a suit.
The presiding Judge, Justice Chizoba Oji, in his ruling held that; “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 (Supercharged) 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 ruling which was delivered on October 28, 2022, was on a motion on notice marked: FCT/HC/M/52/2021, filed by a one-time Director of Operations at the Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Rufus Ojuawo,
Ojuawo had filed a motion through his lawyer, R.N. Ojabo, in a suit marked: FCT/HC/CR/184/2016 that the EFCC had refused to comply with the court order directing it to release his seized property.
The EFCC had arraigned Ojuawo on two counts before Justice Muawiyah Idris of the High Court of the FCT in Nyanya in 2016.
Ojuawo was accused of corruptly receiving gratification to the tune of N40 million and a Range Rover Sport (Supercharged) from one Hima Aboubakar of Societe D’Equipment Internationaux Nigeria Limited.
But on November 21, 2018 Justice Idris discharged and acquitted Ojuawo on the grounds that the prosecution failed to prove its case.
Justice Idris said; “In conclusion, I hold that the prosecution has failed to prove the two counts charge of corrupt gratification under S17 (1)(a) and (c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.’’
“The defendant is discharged and acquitted on counts one and two of the charge.’’
“Consequently, the complainant (EFCC) is ordered to refund the defendant his N40,000,000 wrongly paid into ONSA recovery account and to return to the defendant his Range Rover Sport (Supercharged) forthwith.”
The EFCC PRO, Wilson Uwujaren, during an interview with newsmen said the anti-graft agency will appeal the ruling.
“The Commission is appealing the ruling.”