CBN Gov, Emefiele To Appear in Court Jan 26 Over Contempt Charge on N182B Ogoni Judgment Debt.
The Central Bank of Nigeria CBN governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele will on January 26 appear before a federal high court in Abuja to face contempt change over his alleged refusal to order payment of N182B awarded to Ogoni people for oil spillage on their land.
The contempt charge of two years imprisonment was filled against Emefiele for CBN refusal to honour payment of N182 billion naira compensation to Ogoni people as ordered by a law court.
The 182 billion naira was awarded against oil giant, Shell Petroleum Company over the devastating oil spillage caused the Ogoni Communities and their farmland land by the company.
Ogonl people represented by Chief Lucious Nwosu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN, filed the contempt charge praying the federal high court in Abuja to commit the CBN governor to prison for allegedly disregarding order of court that awarded the money to the aggrieved Ogoni people.
When the matter came up at the last adjourned date, the Ogoni people through their lawyer had expressed disgust over the absence of the CBN governor in court .
The senior counsel complained to Justice Taiwo Oladipupo Taiwo that the charge against Emefiele is quasi -criminal in nature and warranted his physical presence in court to answer the charge.
However Mr Damian Dodo SAN, who stood as counsel to Emefiele, informed the court that it was not the habit of his client to underrate and undermine the court of law and assured that Emefiele will do the needful at the appointed date to show his regard to authority of court.
Shelll Petroleum Company has however filed a motion in the court praying the Judge to dismiss the contempt charge against Emefiele or in the alternative to stay proceedings.
The motion was filed on its behalf by Mr Olawale Akoni SAN even though Shell Petroleum Company is not a defendant in the contempt change.
After taking arguments, Justice Taiwo directed the CBN governor and other parties tin the matter to obey court, adding “this court expects Emefiele to obey the court on the adjourned date.”