The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, has been convicted of contempt by a high court sitting in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.
The conviction was not unconnected to the failure of EFCC to comply with a November 21, 2018 court order ordering it to return a Range Rover car and N40 million to the applicant in suit.
Justice Chizoba Oji, in his judgement maintained 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 wilfully 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 was delivered on October 28, 2022 on a motion on notice marked: FCT/HC/M/52/2021 which was filed by a former Airforce Director of Operations, Air Vice Marshal Rufus Ojuawo.
The lawsuit which was filed by Ojuawo with case marked: FCT/HC/CR/184/2016 explains that the EFCC refused to comply with the court order directing it to release his confiscated property.
The EFCC arraigned Ojuawo on two counts charge before Justice Muawiyah Idris of the High Court in Nyanya in 2016.
His accusation borders corruptly receiving a corrupt gratification of N40 million and a Range Rover Sport from one Hima Abubakar of Societe D’Equipment Internationaux Nigeria Limited.
