Contempt proceedings: Court orders substituted service on CBN Governor

An FCT High Court, on Wednesday, granted an application seeking
substituted service on CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, who is
charged with alleged contempt in a case filed against him by one
Godwin Emmanuel.

Justice Bello Kawu, in a ruling following Mr Emmanuel’s Motion,
exparte for substituted service, filed through his counsel, Maxwell
Okpara, adjourned the matter until April 17 for hearing.

Mr Okpara filed a motion dated March 9 and supported by a
seven-paragraph affidavit with a written address.

He alleged that his motion became inevitable as all efforts made
to serve the CBN Governor in person by the court’s bailiff had
proved abortive.

Mr Okpara, on behalf of his client had filed a contempt
proceeding against the governor on April 4 for disobeying a court
order to pay Emmanuel N52.5 million.

Mr Okpara said judgement was given against Unity Bank to pay the
said sum to Mr Emmanuel by an FCT High Court, Gwagwalada sometime
in June, 2015.

He however applied for a garnishee proceeding against CBN in
2017 which was granted and Unity Bank did not appeal against the
judgment.

Mr Okpara said the CBN governor’s failure to comply with the
court’s order, necessitated the filing of a contempt charge against
him.

He said if the CBN Governor fails to obey the garnishee order
made absolute by the court, he may be guilty of contempt of court
and liable to be committed to prison.

(NAN)