Abuja Court stops Otti’s Panel of Inquiry in Abia
By Emma Ogbuehi
A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted an interim injunction against the Inspector General of Police, the Government of Abia State, and the Panel of Inquiry on Recovery of Government Properties and Funds set up in June by the governor of Abia State, Alex Otti.
The court granted the injunction after an application for an ex-parte motion was brought before it by C.C. Enuka, Counsel to Sir Gabriel Onyendilefu and three others as Applicants.
In the court papers, the court gave an “Order of interim injunction restraining the Respondents…from inviting, summoning, interrogating, harassing, intimidating, arresting, detaining, seizing, any property belonging to the Applicants or otherwise dealing adversely in any manner with the Applicants, their children, any member of their families or any other person connected to the Applicants insofar as it relates to the Applicant’s tenure as public officers in the Abia State Government between 2015 – 2023, pending determination of the substantive Originating Motion on Notice”.
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The court also “granted for departure from Order 43 Rule 3 (2) of the High Court of Federal Capital Territory (civil procedure) Rule 2018 directing that the interim orders granted herein shall not lapse until the hearing and determination of the Applicant’s substantive originating motion on notice”.
The matter was adjourned to the 15th of August, 2023 for hearing of substantive suit.
Recall that the governor of Abia State had on Tuesday, June 27, inaugurated a Panel of Inquiry on the Recovery of Government Properties and Funds. The Panel was mandated to recover government properties and funds allegedly looted during past administrations in the state.
Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Kenneth Kalu, who disclosed the setting up of the panel, listed Justice Florence Ikwuoma Duruoha- Igwe, as the chairman while members include Prof. Ogwo Ekeoma Ogwo, Mazi Ugochukwu Okoroafor, Rev. Fr. Alex Okonkwo and Prof. Ursula Ngozi Akanwa.
Otti had a week after his inauguration, urged those in possession of government properties to return them to the government.