By Olugbenga Salami
Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ahmed Barde may be jailed for contempt of court as a House of Representatives member-elect, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, has filed proceedings against him over alleged constant harassment and disobedience to court order.
An Abuja High Court had earlier in the year granted an order restraining the Imo State governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma; the Nigeria Police Force, Inspector General of Police, the Commissioner of Police, and the State Security Service from inviting, investigating, arresting or detaining Ugochinyere, who is also the spokesperson Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP.
However, in a flagrant violation of the clear and mandatory order of the court, the Commissioner of Police caused an illegal letter, which has now been quashed by the court, to be issued inviting Ugochinyere for investigation.
But in a swift reaction to the action of the Police and to uphold the principles of the rule of law for which he has always stood firm, he applied to the court to issue Forms 48 and 49 which are meant for the commencement of committal proceedings for contempt of court.
The court, while agreeing with Ugochinyere, ordered that the Forms against the Commissioner of Police, the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali and the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Admin), Ukachi Opara, be served on them through substituted means by delivering them to the Legal Department, or any officer or staff of the Nigeria Police Force at its headquarters, Louis Edet House in Abuja.
By this order of the court, the Commissioner of Police is expected to appear in court on April 14, 2023 to explain to the court why he should not be sent to prison for three months for violating the order of the court.
