The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has said its chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, has returned the Range Rover SUV the anti-graft agency confiscated from former Air Vice Marshal Rufus Ojuawo and approved the refund of his seized N40 million.
EFCC said it received with shock the ruling by Justice Chizoba Oji of the FCT High Court sentencing Mr. Bawa to prison for contempt.
On its verified Twitter handle, EFCC described Bawa as an apostle of the rule of law and due process and one who believes in close collaboration between the two institutions in justice administration.
“This ruling is surprising as it creates a wrong impression of the person of the commission’s chairman as encouraging impunity,” the anti-graft agency said. “As far as the relationship between the EFCC and the judiciary is concerned, the chairman has been an apostle of the rule of law, due process and a promoter of close collaboration between the two institutions in justice administration.”
The Federal Capital Territory High Court had convicted Abdulrasheed Bawa, for contempt of court in relation to his agency’s failure to comply with an earlier order of the court.
In a ruling on Tuesday, Justice Chizoba Oji held that the chairman of the anti-graft agency, is in contempt of the order of the court made on November 21, 2018, directing the commission to return to an applicant, his Range Rover (super charge) and the sum of N40 million.
She also ordered that Bawa should be committed to prison at Kuje Correctional Centre Abuja for his disobedience, and continued disobedience of the said order until he purges himself of the contempt.
Justice Oji further directed the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba to ensure that the order of this court is executed forthwith.
The EFCC had in 2016 arraigned Mr Ojuawo before Justice Muawiyah Baba Idris of the FCT High Court on a two-count charge.
He was accused of receiving N40 million and a Range Rover Sport (Supercharged) from Hima Aboubakar of Societe D’Equipment Internationaux Nigeria Limited.
Meanwhile, inspector general of police Usman Baba said he was unaware of the court order to arrest and remand Mr Bawa in prison custody for contempt.
EFCC in a statement explained Mr Bawa was not appointed when the order was given in 2018, claiming “that was three years before he became chairman of the commission.
The EFCC statement added: “Despite that, the said Range Rover in question has been released to the applicant on June 27, 2022, and the chairman had approved the process for the release of the remaining N40 million. Taking into cognisance the procedural lapse in the contempt proceedings, the commission has initiated a process to set aside the entire contempt proceedings and committal of the executive chairman for contempt.”
Despite the “discomfort of this ruling which is seemingly promoted by misinformation,” the EFCC said it “remains committed to working closely with the judiciary in furtherance of the fight against economic and financial crimes in Nigeria.”
(NAN)