THE absence of the Honourable Justice Donatus Okorowo of Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, stalled the hearing of a suit filed by a group, Northern Peace Foundation, against the police over the suspension of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari.
Although counsel to the applicant, Hamza N’Dantani, was in court, the court registrar apologised over the inability of the judge to sit. The matter, which was on number six on the case list, was however fixed for April 4, 2022 for hearing.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) also reports that the matter could not proceed, on January 12, due to the absence of counsel to the plaintiff and the respondents in the suit. Justice Okorowo then adjourned the matter to Thursday, February 10 for hearing.
NAN reports that the foundation, in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/854/2021, sought to stop the police and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) from arresting and extraditing DCP Kyari.
The suit, filed on August 9, 2021, is praying the court to grant a temporary order of injunction against the police and the AGF pending the hearing and final determination of the substantive suit. NAN reported that the matter came up for the first time before Justice Okorowo on January 12.
The case, which was earlier before Justice Ahmed Mohammed, was reassigned to Justice Okorowo, who in the last adjourned date ordered that hearing notices be issued on the parties.
NAN reports that DCP Kyari was allegedly indicted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in an alleged multi-million naira advanced fee fraud said to have been perpetrated by a Nigerian citizen, Ramon Olorunwa Abbass, popularly known as Husspuppi. (NAN)
