Court to commence hearing of Saraki’s suit against IGP July 3

By Edoamaowo Udeme

A Federal High Court, Abuja yesterday slated July 3, 2014 to commence hearing in the suit brought before it by the former Kwara state Governor, Senator Bukola Saraki, against the Inspector-General of Police.

When the matter came up yesterday, Saraki’s counsel, Mahmoud Magaji(SAN), moved an application seeking an extension of time to enable him file further affidavit.

Consequently, the trial Judge, Justice Ahmed Mohammed adjourned till July 3 to commence hearing in the suit.

At the last sitting on the matter, Magaji had complained of undue police harassment and intimidation, and sought for enforcement and protection of the fundamental human rights of his client.

Saraki said the police had been intimidating him over an invitation to appear before the Force Special Fraud Unit over a N4 billion loan suit which he won two years ago.

At that sitting, Magaji announced appearance for Saraki but the police were absent in court and neither were they represented nor offered any explanation for the development.

Magaji, therefore, asked for an adjournment in order to give the defendants fair-hearing and to enable them to appear in court to defend the suit against them.

The former governor sought for court order to quash the invitation on the ground that he had two years ago appeared before the same unit and was cleared of any wrong doing in the matter.

The police had, in a letter dated February 19, 2014, with reference no: CR.3000/X/SFU/ADM/BFC/Vol.17/2014, invited Saraki to the Abuja Special Fraud Unit.

Saraki had in response, instituted the suit seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents or their agents from harassing him, his family members and business associates.

In his ruling, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, ordered that a fresh hearing notice be issued and served on the police to appear in court, and adjourned till yesterday for hearing.