Court Vacates Contempt Order Against EFCC Chairman

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, presided by Justice Abubakar Musa, on Thursday, vacated the order it earlier placed on the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, calling for his arrest for disobeying court order.

Recall THE WHISTLER exclusively reported that Justice Musa had ordered the Inspector-General of Police to arrest Olukoyede, for disobeying the ruling of the court directing operatives of the Commission to vacate a property at Number 6, Aso Drive, Abuja.

However, on Thursday, the Commission released a statement through its spokesman, Dele Oyewale, stating that the judge upheld the submission of the EFCC Counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, stating that Olukoyede “is an officer of the law and respecter of the rule of law.”

He said the chairman is fervently committed in moving the EFCC towards enhanced professionalism and accountable conducts, and could not have “willfully ignored or disobeyed the order of the court.”

Oyedepo further told the court that, “I am here to assure my Lord that Mr. Ola Olukoyede who is now the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, whose appointment was confirmed by the Senate of Federal Republic of Nigeria on the 18 October, 2023 and being a legal practitioner of many years at the bar may not knowingly disobey the order of the court.”

He therefore prayed the court to vacate the contempt proceedings against Olukoyede, while assuring that all the issues involved between the parties in the suit would be resolved.

Meanwhile, the defence counsel, Adeyemi Pitan, did not object to the submissions of the EFCC Counsel.

The judge said: “I knew that the EFCC Chairman was not aware of this, that is why I want the Chairman to come.”

He, thereafter, vacated the order and “purged Olukoyede of the contempt proceedings,” and the matter was adjourned till 7th February 2024, for hearing of the substantive suit.