Contempt of Court: Police Yet to Implement Court Order One Month After

By Stephen Aya / posted April 5, 2024

A month after a Lagos state High Court ordered that the Chairman of Confidence Cargo, Freight Forwarder, Dada Aigbe be committed to prison for contempt, the order of court is yet to be implemented by the police.

Justice Akintunde Savage had on March 11, ordered that Aigbe be imprisoned for one month until he purges himself of the contempt.

The court order was sequel to form 48 and 49 contempt proceeding filed against Aigbe, the application which was filed and moved by one Mr. Maruf Jimoh-Akogun, counsel to the claimant, the judgment creditor in the suit marked no ID/3831LMW/2016.

The judge, in his enrollment order dated Mach 11 said “Mr. Dada Aigbe is hereby committed to Kirikiri Maximum prison for one month or until he purges himself of the contempt of this court and files an affidavit to henceforth not disobeys this court or any court order,”

To effect the court order, the deputy sheriff of the high court, took a “Request for Police Assistance” form dated March 18 to the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, and the form was received the same date.

The Sheriff in the form stated that “Under the provision of section 11 Sheriff and Civil Procedure Cap 127 Laws of Lagos State, 1973, that police will be providing constable to accompany the Sheriff to No 7a Adeola Ajayi Crescent, Airport Road, Lagos State to execute the warrant,”

It was gathered from the claimant that after Aigbe was arrested by the police officers at the NAHCO Airport, they handed him over to the officer in charge of Crack Squad, CP Joel Ugowe, who allegedly released him contrary to the order of the court.

When judiciary correspondents called CP Joel to confirm whether Aigbe had been handed over to the Kirikiri Maximum prison as ordered by the court, he directed them to come to his office at the State Headquarters, Police Command as the issue was not a phone conversation matter.

Upon getting to the command at the fixed time and date, the policeman said he was with the State Commissioner of Police, and for over three hours, judiciary correspondents waited, while all attempts made by the reporters to see him proved abortive.

The claimant said the suspect was at his workplace at NAHCO Airport Road, in deviant to court order.

When contacted, the Lagos Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Correctional Facility, Mr. Rotimi Oladokun, explained that if the police had brought the suspect in respect of a court order, it would be documented in their office.

Oladokun added that he would check the office report to confirm.

He, however, after three days, failed to confirm to the reporters whether Aigbe was detained in any correctional facility.

A contempt proceeding application was moved on Jan. 18 by Jimoh-Akogun in a case instituted by a traditional ruler, HRH Oba Shakirudeen Adeshina-Kuti for themselves on behalf of the Ajamogun/Onikotun family of Ewu kingdom.

The claimant had filed the suit against the traditional ruler of Isolo, Osolo of Isolo Oba Agbabiaka Orisedeko-Elemo, and the Baale Mafoluku Ajao Estate, Chief Hussam Shekoni-Elemo as the first and second defendants respectively.