Crime

Court Makes U-turn, Vacates Order Sentencing IGP Baba-Alkali To Jail

Published

2 years ago

December 14, 2022

The federal high court in Abuja has made a U-turn in its judgment sentencing the inspector-general of police, Usman Baba-Alkali to three months in jail for contempt.

As reported by Daily Nigerian, the police chief through his legal counsel had issued an application before the court seeking for the ruling to be vacated.

However, Justice Bolaji Olajuwon on Wednesday, December 14 in a separate ruling accepted the application and prayer of the defendant by vacating the initial ruling.

According to PM News, Justice Olajuwon vacated his initial verdict on the premise that the police chief adhered to a court judgment that held that Patrick Okoli who was unjustly retired from the police force be reinstated back into the police force.

Justice Olajuwon said:

“In view of the substantial compliance with the order of the court and the assurance of ensuring full compliance, the order committing the applicant, Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, is hereby set aside.”

On Tuesday, November 29, IGP Baba-Alkali joined the list of high-profile public office holders that were lashed with the wrath of the law court when it was shockingly announced that he had been sentenced to three months imprisonment by the Federal High Court in Abuja.

It was gathered that the police chief was sentenced for committing contempt against the court for disobeying an order that dates back to 2011 seeking the reinstatement of Okoli by another judge, Justice Donatus Okorowo.

Reports have it that Okoli while serving as a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) in Bauchi state command was compulsorily retired from the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) in 1992. It was gathered that the then-Police Council initiated the dismissal of Okoli while claiming to have acted under Decree 17 of 1984.