BREAKING: Court of Appeal Slams Fine on Yahaya Bello, Gives Reason

• The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed the contempt of court suit filed by former governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, against the EFCC chairman, Ola Olukoyede
• According to the court, the contempt file by Bello was premised on a dead interim order issued by the Kogi State High court
• The court then ruled that Bello failed to extend the order and slammed a one million naira fine against the former government of Kogi state

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has quashed the contempt case initiated by the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, against the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olanipekun Olukoyede.

Bello had predicted the contempt case before a High Court of Kogi State sitting in Lokoja on interim orders earlier granted by the court. Subsequently, the High Court ordered Olukoyede to show cause why he should not be held for contempt, a decision the EFCC boss appealed.

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The Cable reported that in a judgment on Thursday, June 13, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal, among other things, held that the contempt case was premised on dead interim orders issued by the Kogi State High Court, sitting in Lokoja.

Why court dismisses Yahaya Bello's suit

The Court of Appeal held that, at the time Bello commenced the contempt case, the interim orders on which it was built had expired because the High Court had delivered its judgment on the substantive fundamental human rights enforcement suit filed by Bello.

It noted that the interim orders, having been made pending the determination of the substantive suit and the substantive suit having been determined without the lifetime of the interim orders extended in the final judgment, were extinct as of when the contempt case was initiated.

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In the lead judgment, Justice Joseph Oyewole held the trial judge failed to extend the interim orders of 9/2/2024 in its final judgment of 17/4/2024.

The court awarded N1 million cost against the respondent (Bello).

Former governors who acted drama over EFCC arrest

Legit.ng earlier reported the drama that followed the EFCC's move to arrest the immediate past governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, on Wednesday, April 17. Bello has refused to leave the media space in Nigeria.

The EFCC operatives were obstructed by some police officers and supporters of the former governor as the anti-graft agency laid siege at the residence of Yahaya Bello at Zone 4 in Abuja in a bid to arrest him.

Source: Legit.ng