Court orders Kashamu to surrender self to police investigation

• Another summons APC chairman, secretary over alleged contempt
A Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday ordered Senator Buruji Kashamu to submit himself to the police authorities for investigation. Justice Nnamdi Dimgba gave the order while delivering judgment in a suit filed by the senator over an alleged attempt to carry out a politically motivated assassination on a House of Representatives member, Oladipupo Adebutu.

The court in the judgment refused to stop the police, which are the first respondent in the matter, from investigating Kashamu on the alleged crime. Justice Dimgba held that the police, under the 1999 Constitution and the Police Act, have statutory powers to invite any Nigerian for interrogation on any criminal allegation.

The court, however ruled that Kashamu should not be arrested, detained and extradited to the United States of America (U.S.).This followed his earlier affidavit that he had, since 2010, been defending himself against the allegation that he was wanted in the U.S. for drug-related offences.

Also, an Abakaliki High Court yesterday summoned the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), John Odigie-Oyegun and National Secretary Mai Mala Buni over alleged contempt of court.Justice H. A. Njoku ruled that the two leaders must appear before the court in Ebonyi State on September 28, 2017.

He said they were required to answer questions on why they should not be committed to prison for disobeying its order.The court had upheld an interlocutory injunction restraining them, their agents and privies from effecting a change in the party’s leadership in the state.

The Guardian leant that the crisis started in the party when the national chairman transmitted a letter appointing the erstwhile Deputy Chairman, Eze Nwachukwu as the Acting Chairman of the party.

The court had, on November 6, 2014 restrained the respondent from appointing a caretaker committee in place of the executives that were elected at the ward, local council and state congresses in November 11, 16 and 29, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

Earlier, the counsel to the applicant, Godwin Onwusi, said he had served the national chairman and secretary Form 48, which is the notice of consequence of disobedience to court order that may commit them to prison.But counsel to the respondents, Ikechukwu Ezechukwu, said in an interview that he asked for September to enable the summoned leaders to personally respond.