November 08, (THEWILL) – The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, has appealed the court ruling which ordered his remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre for contempt.
THEWILL earlier reported that an Abuja High Court ordered the remand of the EFCC chairman over the failure of the anti-graft agency to comply with an earlier order of the court.
Chizoba Oji, the presiding judge, ordered the inspector-general of police (IGP) to ensure that Bawa is committed to prison for disobedience to a court order.
The judge gave the order in the motion on notice filed by Adeniyi Ojuawo, Air Vice Marshal (now retired), against the Federal Government.
The judge held that Bawa is in contempt of the order of the court after the commission failed to return a Range Rover and the sum of N40 million to Ojuawo.
“Having continued willfully 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 judge said.
But Bawa, while fielding questions from journalists in Abuja, said an appeal had been filed.
Bawa, who appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption to defend his agency’s budget, said the law would take its natural course.
“We have appealed against it already so we will allow the natural course of the law to take its effect”, he said.
Bawa stated that the commission requested more funding for its Academy and the agency’s operations, which he said requires money.
The EFCC boss is confident that the 9th National Assembly, which he described as purposeful, would heed the request.
