Politics
A Bauchi Chief Magistrates’ Court on Thursday granted the application of a Village Head in Bauchi requesting for the withdrawal of a case he filed against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The Village Head of Wuntin Dada in the outskirts of Bauchi metropolis, Alhaji Uba Hassan, had sued the EFCC, praying the court to restrain the commission from investigating a land dispute in his area of jurisdiction.
However, when the substantive suit came up for hearing on Thursday, Phil Elisha, counsel to the Village Head, filed an oral application seeking the withdrawal of the case.
But Ahmed Yakubu, counsel to the EFCC, objected to the request, arguing that both parties had joined issues, as such withdrawal at that point was inappropriate.
He said they had spent resources and time on the case, as such there would be the need to award them heavy costs of the case was to be withdrawn.
After listening to both arguments, the Chief Magistrate, Ahmed Shuaibu, ruled that the request was genuine, adding that the powers of the magistrates courts hinged on law creating district courts.
He said that the court, therefore, must not insist that the case must continue while the plaintiff had decided otherwise.
He therefore granted the request to withdraw the case, but awarded N40,000 cost against the plaintiff/applicant, to be given to Mr Janbarde Zailani and Alhaji Aminu, all of them, staff of the EFCC,Gombe Zonal Office.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Hassan had on Sept. 24, 2019, filed a suit before the court when agents of the commission visited Wunti Dada area, under his jurisdiction, to conduct an investigations into a land dispute.
Hassan, who feared that he might be investigated by the agents, ran to the court and urged it to restrain the commission from investigating the despute and arresting him. (NAN)
– Oct 24, 2019 @ 18:57 GMT |
Tags: Bauchi traditional ruler withdraws case instituted against EFCC
