IBORI: High Court Restrains EFCC

PHOTO: FORMER DELTA STATE GOVERNOR, CHIEF JAMES IBORI.

San Francisco, April 15, (THEWILL) - Barely 48 hours after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared former Delta State Governor, Chief James Ibori wanted over an alleged N44 billion fraud, a new dimension to the saga played out Tuesday as a Delta State High Court sitting in Asaba retrained the commission from arresting Ibori.

EFCC had two days ago declared Ibori wanted over the alleged fraud. Joined as Respondents in the suit are the Attorney General of the Federation, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Inspector General of Police and the Director, State Security Services, SSS as the 1^st, 2^nd, 3rd and 4^th respondents respectively.

In the ex-parte motion filed by Chief Ibori’s counsel, Augustine Alegeh, SAN on April 12^th, he prayed the court to stop the applicant’s harassment pending the hearing and determination of the applicant’s substantive suit.

Another affidavit in support of the Motion Ex-parte was sworn to by Champion Oboh. Granting the interim injunction restraining EFCC and its officers from arresting Ibori pending the determination of the substantive motion on notice, Justice I.N Buba of the state high court said: “Upon this motion exparte dated and filed on 12th April, 2010 praying this Honorable court for the following: an order of interim injunction restraining the 1,2,3,and 4 respondents by themselves or through their officers, agents, privies and assigns from arresting, harassing, intimidating or attempting to arrest, harass and or intimidate the applicants in any manner whatsoever and howsoever pending the hearing and determination of the applications substantive motion on notice.”

 Meanwhile, hearing of the motion on notice has been fixed for Monday, April 19, 2010.