In its filing to the Court of Appeal in Abuja, the EFCC said the Kogi State High Court had no jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
By Jeffrey Agbo
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed an appeal against the ruling of a Kogi State High Court that ordered the arrest and remand of the agency’s chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, for contempt.
In a statement on Thursday, the anti-graft agency said the Kogi High Court does not have the jurisdiction to entertain the matter heard on February 6, 2023, and December 12, 2022.
Justice R.O. Ayoola had ordered Bawa’s remand and awarded N10 million against the EFCC following prayers by Ali Bello, who is Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello’s nephew.
The EFCC had also on Wednesday arraigned the governor’s wife (in absentia) and others on an 18-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering to the tune of N3 billion.
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In its filing to the Court of Appeal in Abuja, the EFCC said the Kogi State High Court had no jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, February 7, 2023 filed a motion before the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal asking for a stay of execution of the judgment of Kogi State High Court in Suit No: HCL/696/2022 between Ali Bello and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and Others, delivered on 12th of December, 2022 and the consequential order made on the 6th of February, 2023,” the statement reads.
“Other reliefs sought in the motion on notice, including an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the appellants/applicant from attempting to execute/ enforce the judgment of the trial court pending the final hearing and determination of the appeal.
“In the supporting affidavit to the application, deposed to by Samuel Anele Ugwuegbulam, he affirmed that the appellants have “strong, good and arguable grounds of appeal”.
