From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory(FCT), has thrown its weight behind the legal moves to jail the Commissioner of Police Imo State Command, Mr. Mohammed Ahmed Barde over alleged disobedience to valid order of court.
Already, the presiding judge, Justice A.S. Adepoju has ordered service of the contempt processes on him by substitued means.
The order was sequel to the contempt proceedings initiated against him by a House of Representatives member-elect, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere.
The Court had earlier in the year granted an order restraining the Imo State Governor the Nigerian Police, Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police Imo State, and the State Security Service from inviting, investigating, arresting or detaining the opposition coalition spokesperson, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere.
However, in flagrant violation of the clear and mandatory order of the Court, the Commissioner of Police caused an illegal letter now quashed by the court to be issued inviting Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere for investigation in desperate state govt backed move to frame the country’s opposition spokesperson for Murder, Terrorism and Arson
Following the above development, the federal lawmaker-elect applied to the Court to issue form 48 and 49 which are legal procedure for commencement of committal proceedings for contempt of Court.
The Court while agreeing with Ugochinyere, ordered that the Forms against the Commissioner of Police, the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Usman Baba Alkali and the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Admin) Ukachi Opara be served on them through substituted means by delivering them to the Legal Department, or any officer or staff of the Nigeria Police Force at its headquarters Louis Edet House, Abuja.
By this order of Court, the CP is expected to appear in court on April 14, 2023 to show cause why he should not be sent to prison for three months for violating the orders of the Court.