EFCC To Appeal Chairman’s Conviction

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has said it will appeal the October 28, 2022 conviction of its Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, for contempt of court.

The anti-graft agency’s spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, told our correspondent on Tuesday that the Commission would appeal the ruling.

The PUNCH reports that a High Court sitting in Abuja convicted the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, of contempt of court.

The conviction was in relation to the failure of the anti-graft agency to comply with a November 21, 2018 court order directing it to return a Range Rover and the sum of N40 million to the applicant in a suit.

Justice Chizoba Orji had rejected the arguments put forward by the EFCC lawyer, Francis Jirbo, to justify Bawa’s action, and had convicted the EFCC boss of contempt of court.

In his ruling, Justice Oji had held 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, which was delivered on October 28, 2022, was on a motion on notice marked: FCT/HC/M/52/2021 filed by a one-time Director of Operations at the Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Rufus Ojuawo.

The spokesperson for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, when contacted by our correspondent, however, said the Commission would appeal the ruling.

“The Commission is appealing the ruling.” Uwujaren said.