HeadlineRelief As Court Restrains EFCC, ICPC , Others From Arresting Justice Olotu

Relief As Court Restrains EFCC, ICPC , Others From Arresting Justice Olotu

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Temporary relief has come for embattled former Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Edo State, Justice Gladys Olotu, who is also a former Chief Registrar, High Court Directorate, Edo State Judiciary as well as former Secretary, Edo State Judicial Service Commission.

This is as a Federal High Court on Tuesday restrained the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) , the Director State Security Service (SSS), the Inspector General of Police, IGP and the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB and others from arresting and detaining the embattled Judge who was recently sacked by NJC for gross misconduct.

Justice Adeniyi Ademola granted the order of injunction pending the determination of the suit Justice Olotu instituted challenging her forceful retirement from service by NJC.

After her sack, the embattled Judge had dragged NJC to the Abuja court, seeking a judicial review of her suspension, following which the court asked the parties to maintain the status quo.

She later approached the court for an order restraining the EFCC, ICPC, SSS, the Inspector General of Police, IGP and the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB and others from arresting and detaining her pending the determination of the suit she instituted challenging her forceful retirement from service.

Justice Olotu, whose compulsory retirement from office for gross misconduct alongside an Abuja High Court judge, Justice U. A Inyang, was announced by NJC on February 26, was soon invited by the EFCC and was grilled over some landed properties allegedly belonging to her

The embattled Judge was recommended for compulsory retirement from office pursuant to the ‘Findings” by the Council on the allegations contained in the petitions written against the judge wherein she was alleged to have failed to deliver judgment in a matter, only to deliver same in Suit No. FHC/UY/250/2003, 18 months after the final address by all the counsel in the suit, contrary to the constitutional provisions that judgments should be delivered within a period of 90 days.

She was said, among other allegations, to have admitted before the Fact Finding Committee of the council that investigated the allegations that she forgot she had a pending ruling to deliver in an application for joinder.

In a motion exparte filed on her behalf by Mr. Okey Obikeze before Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja, she prayed the court to make an order directing the EFCC, ICPC, IGP, CCB as well as other defendants in the suit, to stay all actions or matters relating to or connected with the fact of the case, particularly, inviting, interrogating, harassing, arresting and detaining her, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

Other defendants in the suit are Centre for Network Against Corruption, an NGO which had petitioned the anti graft agency alleging financial improprieties against Olotu, the Attorney General of the Federation, the NJC, Hon Justice S.M.A Belgore, Chief Gabriel Igbenedion, Ponticelli Nigeria Limited, Stolt Offshore Services S.A, The Vessel M.V Theo, the Owners of The Vessel M.V Theo, Elf Nigeria Petroleum Ltd, ABC Maritime AG, The Vessel M.V Lara and The Vessel M.V Krysia.

Justice Olotu also sought leave of the court to serve court documents relating to the suit on Stolt Offshore Services S.A out of jurisdiction at the company’s headquarters in Middlesex, England, as well as to serve Vessel M.V Theo, the Owners of The Vessel M.V Theo, Elf Nigeria Petroleum Ltd, ABC Maritime AG, The Vessel M.V Lara and The Vessel M.V Krysia, in Switzerland where they are domiciled.

She also sought leave of court to serve court papers on Chief Gabriel Igbinedion at Maitama District Abuja home .

In her supporting affidavit, Justice Olotu averred that she had been receiving numerous threats of arrest and detention at the instance of the respondents and that already the EFCC had on March 18 , interrogated her from 10 am to 4pm at its office in Abuja and thereafter directed her to return on Tuesday, April 1.

She also stated that upon leaving the office of the anti graft agency, the agents of the other defendants started trailing her for the purpose of arresting and detaining her and that she could now hardly stay in her house for fear of the respondents.

Olotu further averred that it is very difficult to escape from them in the face of their numerical strength, awesome powers and connections as she pleaded with the court to grant her application which, she noted, would better serve the interest of justice.

Justice Ademola after hearing the motion, granted all the reliefs sought by Justice Olotu and adjourned further hearing on the substantive matter to April 2.

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