A senior Advocate of Nigeria Chief Ajibola Aribisala has filed an application before a Federal high court in Lagos urging the court to charge the Managing Director of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) Ahmed Lawal Kuru for alleged contempt by trying to obstruct or pervert the proper course of Justice and interfering unduly with due administration of Justice.
In an affidavit in support of the application for an order of committal sworn by a legal practitioner Barrister Femi Aribisala. It was alleged that in August 2017, A Nigerian business man Chief Dr William O. Oki and his company Worksons International Limited retained the services of Chief Aribisala (SAN) and he has been filling process and representing the defendants in a debt recovery suit filed against them by AMCON especially in furtherance of his brief to redress the unlawful violation of the right of the defendants, particularly, Dr William Oki who was wrongfully evicted from his residence, Chief Aribisala then on 13th of October, 2017 filed an application to set aside the wrongful execution carried out by AMCON on the 26th September, 2017 and the new application was duely served on AMCON.
However unknown to Chief Aribisala prior to the filing of the reply affidavit and reply on point of law, but later revealed to him by Chief William Oki, AMCON and its Managing Director Ahmed Lawan Kuru in total disregard of Section 36(6) (C) constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which allows the defendants to engage a counsel of their choice to defend them in this suit, have been putting undue pressure, intimidation, inducement, harassment, threats and victimisation on the defendants to disengage the legal services of Chief Aribisala.
Chief William Oki, who has been squatting, with friends and family members, following his eviction from his residential premises, by AMCON ,to the detriment of his health, comfort and human dignity, eventually bowed to the undue pressure, intimidation and victimisation by purportedly disengaging the services of Chief Aribisala via a letter dated 17th of October, 2017.
The facts deposed to by Femi Aribisala were confirmed by Chief Oki, other persons present at the said meeting were Mr Benjamin Oki Chief William Oki ‘s son and his consultant Mr Samson Osifo.
Chief Oki disclosed that at the said meeting AMCON and its Managing Director Ahmed Lawan Kuru insisted on disengagement of the services of Chief Aribisala as they prefer dealing with the defendants directly, without the involvement or presence of their legal adviser, despite the fact that AMCON suit against the defendants is still pending before the court for adjudication and the defendants will necessarily need the services of Chief Aribisala to canvass their defence and protect their interest in the suit
To underscore the seriousness of the intention of AMCON and his Managing Director to obstruct or pervert the course of Justice and interfere unduly with the administration of Justice, at a meeting they held with Chief Oki they demanded that a copy of the letter of the disengagement, duly acknowledged by Chief Aribisala must be sent to them before they would reinstate Chief Oki to his residential abode in Asaba from where he was wrongfully evicted.
Chief Aribisala contended that by their actions the parties cited for contempt AMCON and its Managing Director Ahmed Lawal Kuru, have no regard or respect for the sanctity of the due administration of justice.
The AMCON and its Managing Director hold the court in disrepute by forcing, coercing or inducing the defendants to disengage him, an officer of the court from rendering legal services to the defendants despite the pendency of the suit for adjudication before the court.
Therefore it is pertinent, in the interest of Justice, to bring the parties cited for contempt herein to book by committing them for contempt.
Chief Aribisala, also contended that he has been highly prejudiced by the contemptuous conduct of the said parties for contempt herein as they have unduly interfered, to their Selfish advantage, with the fair and just administration of Justice in this suit.