The injunction granted by the High Court of Kogi State restraining the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, from the investigation and prosecution of officials of the state has been reportedly dismissed.
In a unanimous judgment delivered on Thursday, May 18, the Appeal Court Abuja Division dismissed the preliminary objection of the Kogi State Government, saying that the ex-parte order of the trial court was “unlawful.”
The appeal on behalf of EFCC was said to have handled by Kemi Pinhero, SAN, Jubrin Okutepa, SAN and Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN who dismissed Kogi Court’s Ruling Against EFCC’s Investigation of Yahaya Bello’s Governmment.
They reportedly directed the Chief Judge of Kogi State, Justice Josiah Joe Majebi, to transfer the matter to another Judge.
Recall that the EFCC had on Tuesday February 7, 2023, filed a motion before the Appellate Court, asking for a stay of execution of the judgment of the Kogi State High Court in Suit No: HCL/696/2022 between Kogi State Government and the Commission.
Consequently, the Court had been said to have awarded the sum of N300, 000 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira)against the Kogi State government and its officials.
However, Truth Live News gathered that the sum of N100, 000(One Hundred Thousand Naira) also was awarded against the state government for filing the frivolous preliminary objection.
According to EFCC, another sum of N200, 000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) was awarded against Kogi Governmment for obtaining prejudicial ex-parte order against the Commission.