The Abuja Division of the Appeal Court has invalidated the injunction granted by the High Court of Kogi State, which had restrained the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from investigating and prosecuting state officials.
On Tuesday, February 7, 2023, the EFCC filed a motion with the Appellate Court, seeking a stay of execution of the judgment in Suit No: HCL/696/2022 between Ali Bello and the Commission, and Others, delivered on December 12, 2022, along with the consequential order made on February 6, 2023.
In a unanimous judgment delivered on Thursday, May 18, 2023, the Appellate Court dismissed the preliminary objection raised by the Kogi State Government and declared the trial court’s ex-parte order as “unlawful.”
The court awarded a sum of N300,000 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira) against the Kogi State government and its officials.
Additionally, the state government was fined N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) for submitting a frivolous preliminary objection and another N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) for obtaining a prejudicial ex-parte order against the Commission.
Furthermore, the Appellate Court directed Justice Josiah Joe Majebi, the Chief Judge of Kogi State, to transfer the case to a different judge.
Representing the EFCC in the appeal were Kemi Pinhero, SAN, Jubrin Okutepa, SAN, and Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN.
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