Tag: Federal High Court Abuja

Alleged N109bn Fraud: Court remands Ex-AGF Idris in prison

Aminu Imam

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, remanded the suspended Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris and his co-defendants: Godfrey Olusegun Akindele, Mohammed Kudu Usman, in prison pending the determination of their bail applications. The trio were arraigned alongside a company, Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Ltd, on a 14-count charge bordering on gratification, abuse of office and money laundering to the tune of over N109 billion fraud. The presiding judge, Justice Adeyemi Ajayi, ordered that Idris and his co-defendants be kept in Kuje pending the hearing of their…

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Abuja Federal High Court bars INEC from ending voter registration

Aminu Imam

As the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) prepares to end voter registration on June 30, 2022, in line with its schedule of activities, an Abuja Federal High Court has barred it from doing so. Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon, of the court, gave an order of interim injunction yesterday, following the hearing of an argument on a Motion ex-parte brought by a human rights group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP). Recall that INEC had announced its intention to end the voter registration exercise on June 30 to enable it to harmonise…

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2023: Federal High Court orders AGF to delete Section 84 (12) from amended new Electoral Act

Aminu Imam

…Declares section unconstitutional, invalid illegal The Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia yesterday struck down Section 84(12) of the newly amended Electoral Act which President Muhammadu Buhari had written to the National Assembly requesting them to delete. The court, in a judgment delivered by Justice Evelyn Anyadike, held that the section was unconstitutional, invalid, illegal, null, void and of no effect whatsoever and ought to be struck down as it cannot stand when it is in violation of the clear provisions of the Constitution. Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had,…

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Court sacks Umahi, deputy over defection to APC

Aminu Imam

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the removal of David Umahi and Dr. Eric Kelechi Igwe, as governor and deputy governor of Ebonyi State, following their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). In the judgment delivered by the presiding judge,Justice Inyang Ekwo, on Tuesday, declared that the defection of Governor Umahi and his deputy, Dr. Kelechi Igwe, from the PDP to the APC was illegal, null and unconstitutional. Justice Inyang Ekwo, held that the 393,042 votes polled by Umahi in the…

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N2.1bn pension scam: Maina to spend 8 yrs in prison, Court rules

Aminu Imam

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced AbdulRasheed Maina, the former chairman of the now-defunct Pension Reformed Task Team, to eight years imprisonment. Maina was convicted after he was found guilty of money laundering. In a judgment delivered yesterday by Justice Okon Abang, the court held that the prosecutor, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has produced essential evidence through witnesses to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Maina is guilty of money laundering in the sum of N171,099,000. Maina was also found guilty of concealing his true identity…

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Court halts FG from deducting $418m Paris Club debt from States’ accounts

Aminu Imam

A Federal High Court, in Abuja, has stopped the federal government from deducting Paris Club debt worth $418 million from the bank accounts of the 36 States of the federation. Recall that the court in a ruling that was delivered by the presiding judge, Inyang Ekwo, ordered the Federal Government to suspend the planned action, pending the determination of a suit brought before it by governments of the 36 States. Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, last week said State governments will not accept arbitrary deductions of funds by the FG.…

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IPOB: Nnamdi Kanu back to DSS custody as court adjourns trial

Aminu Imam

The trial of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu has been adjourned till November 10, 2021. Kanu, who was arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja amidst tight security yesterday, was brought to court in a heavily fortified security convoy, pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charges bordering on terrorism and treasonable felony. Recall that the Federal Government had amended seven counts against Kanu. However, the IPOB leader pleaded not guilty to the charges bordering on terrorism and treasonable felony. Nnamdi Kanu’s legal team…

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Despite Supreme Court’s retrial order, judge stops EFCC from prosecuting Orji Kalu

Aminu Imam

A Federal High Court judge in Abuja, Inyang Ekwo, yesterday, barred the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), from retrying a former governor of Abia State, Orji Kalu, who was earlier convicted of N7.1 billion fraud. Kalu, a serving senator representing Abia-North, was already serving a 12-year jail term for the offences when the Supreme Court, on 8 May 2020, nullified the proceedings, leading to his and his co-defendants’ conviction. The Supreme Court’s judgment, delivered on an appeal by Kalu’s co-defendant, Ude Udeogu, had ordered a re-trial at the Federal…

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Court declares collection of VAT by Federal Government as illegal

Aminu Imam

The Federal High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has declared the collection of Value-Added Tax (VAT) and Personal Income Tax by the Federal Government as illegal and unconstitutional. The suit, which is between the Attorney-General for Rivers State and Federal Inland Revenue Service, (FIRS), as the first defendant and the Attorney General of the federation, Abubakar Malami, as the second defendant. The court decided in favour of the Rivers State, ruling that it is the rightful arm to receive personal income tax and VAT originating from the State.…

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Court orders EFCC to unfreeze Raymond Dokpesi’s account

Aminu Imam

The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, issued an order unfreezing the bank account of the Chairman of Daar Communications Plc, Raymond Dokpesi. Justice Tsoho gave the order on Tuesday, while delivering a ruling on Dokpesi’s application, argued by Kanu Agabi. The judge ordered that the account domiciled at First Bank be immediately “unfrozen” since the criminal charges which precipitated the restriction on the account had been dismissed and Dokpesi discharged and acquitted by the Court of Appeal. According to the judge, the Economic and Financial…

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