Court bars Edo govt from trying Oshiomhole for corruption

Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday issued an interim order restraining the Edo State government from acting on the report of the state’s Judicial Commission of Inquiry which indicted the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, for corruption.

The Edo State government had set up the Judicial Commission of Inquiry led by Justice James Oyomire (retd) to investigate the construction of the Edo Specialist Hospital and supply of equipment for the hospital during the tenure of the APC chairman as the governor of the state.

The commission in its report issued in May indicted Oshiomhole’s administration for breach of the state’s Public Procurement Law.

Dissatisfied with the report, the ex-governor filed an ex parte application through his lawyer, Mr. West Idahosa and sought an order of interim injunction restraining the state government, the governor, the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, the IGP and the DSS from giving effect to the report submitted by the commission.

While ruling on an ex parte application filed on May 27 by Oshiomhole, the judge asked parties in the matter not to take any step including any plan to arrest the ex-governor.

He ordered the respondents to the suit including the Edo State government, Governor Godwin Obaseki, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Department of State Services, not to take any action until the court decides whether or not it has jurisdiction to entertain the suit.