A Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected a case filed by Mr Paul Afagase Johnson is trying to stop the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, from inviting him or investigating him regarding a supposed contract issue involving N350 million.
In the lawsuit, the plaintiff asked for a permanent court order stopping the Commission from looking into matters that came up from a disagreement he called a simple civil and contract issue between himself, Chief Richard Okozi, and Rokozi Investment Limited.
Mr Johnson also said that the Nigeria Police Force and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had already invited him and cleared him of any wrongdoing regarding the issue.
He also said that the ICPC cannot be used to collect debts and claimed that the Commission’s invitation was like a threat, risking arrest, and breaking his basic human rights.
The plaintiff also asked for N500 million in damages. However, in his judgment, Justice J.K. Omotosho said that the ICPC couldn’t be stopped from doing its investigations as long as they were within the law as it was meant to be.
The court said that the Commission has the legal authority to look into complaints about corruption, especially when public organizations or people in charge are involved.
It also mentioned that the disputed contract supposedly involved government ministries, departments, and agencies, MDAs, which means the Commission has the authority to investigate this case.
Justice Omotosho said that courts usually don’t stop police or other law enforcement groups from doing their investigations when there are claims that someone has done something illegal.
He said the court would not protect people who try to avoid being investigated properly. The court said there was no proof given to show that the plaintiff was actually invited and allowed by the Nigeria Police and the EFCC.
The plaintiff only showed that he had been invited by the agencies, which is not the same as saying that the investigations were completed in his favor.
The court decided that the ICPC was allowed by law to ask the plaintiff to join the case and could keep going with its investigation.
Justice Omotosho also said that the best thing for the plaintiff to do is to accept the Commission’s invitation so that they can conduct their investigation properly.
The case started because someone filed a complaint saying that N350 million was given to get a contract, which was meant to help some public organizations.
When the contract did not happen as planned, the contractor said they complained to the Department of State Services, DSS, and DSS then passed the case to the ICPC to look into it.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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