A Kogi High Court in Lokoja on Friday, April 26 ordered the Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede, to appear before it on May 13, to show cause why an order of committal should not be made against him for allegedly disobeying a court order.
Justice I.A. Jamil of High Court IV gave the order while ruling in Suit No: HCL/68M/2024 and Motion No: HCL/190M/2024, brought before him by ex-Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi in Lokoja.
“The said act was carried out by the Respondent (EFCC) in violation of the order, which was valid and subsisting when they carried out the act.
“That same act of the respondent amounts to contempt, ” the judge said.
The EFCC boss is facing a contempt charge for allegedly carrying out “some acts upon which they (the EFCC) have been restrained” by the court on February 9, pending the determination of the substantive originating motion.
Justice Jamil’s order was based on a motion ex-parte filed by Yahaya Bello through his lawyer, M.S. Yusuf.
Bello prayed to the court for an order to issue and serve the respondent (EFCC Chairman) with Form 49 Notice to show cause why an Order of Committal should not be made on Olukoyede.
“The Judge, after listening to the arguments of the applicant’s counsel, the submission and exhibits attached in the written address, granted Bello’s prayers and ordered Olukoyede to be summoned to appear before the court to answer the contempt charge.
“The applicant’s application before me is to the effect that the respondent has carried out some acts upon which they have been restrained by this court on Feb. 9, pending the determination of the substantive motion on notice before this court.
“That the said act was carried out by the respondent in violation of the order which was valid and subsisting when they carried out those acts. That same act of the respondent amounts to an act of contempt.
“It’s against the above facts that this Court hereby grants the prayers sought in line with the principle of “Audi Ultra Patem” (listen to the other side).
“This matter is adjourned to May 13 for the respondent’s chairman to appear before this court in answer to form 49 ordered to be served on him,” the Judge said.
EFCC operatives had on April 17 laid siege on the residence of the former governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, in a bid to arrest him, but he was later whisked away by the convoy of the Kogi Governor, Alhaji Usman Ododo.
Meanwhile, he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says the American International School Abuja (AISA) has refunded the fees paid by the immediate past governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, for his children attending the school.
LIB had earlier reported that the chairman of EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, held a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, April 23 where he revealed that the former governor paid $760,910 in advance as fees for five of his children from the coffers of the Kogi state government. Following the revelation, the school released a statement promising to refund the fees to the EFCC.
In response to a letter addressed to the Lagos zonal commander of the EFCC, the school said $845,852 was paid in tuition “since the 7th of September 2021 to date”.
AISA said the sum to be refunded is $760,910 because it had deducted educational services already rendered.
“Please forward to us an official written request, with the authentic banking details of the EFCC, for the refund of the above-mentioned funds as previously indicated as part of your investigation into the alleged money laundering activities by the Bello family.
Since the 7th September 2021 to date, $845,852.84 (Eight Hundred and Forty-Five Thousand, Eight Hundred and Fifty Two US Dollars and eighty four cents) in tuition and other fees has been deposited into our Bank account.
We have calculated the net amount to be transferred and refunded to the State, after deducting the educational services rendered as $760,910.84. (Seven Hundred and Sixty Thousand, Nine Hundred and Ten US Dollars and Eighty Four cents).
No further additional fees are expected in respect of tuition as the students’ fees have now been settled until they graduate from ASIA.”
In a chat with The Cable, the spokesperson of the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, confirmed that the school has refunded the money.
‘’The money has been paid into public account,” Dele Oyewale was quoted as saying
