From Douglas Blessing, Port HarcourtJustice Boma Diepiri of Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt, has adjourned till July 11 this year, to hear settlement report in a fundamental rights suit by Chief Cletus Ibeto against the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Daniel Chukwudozie and Dozzy Oil and Gas Limited.
The court agreed on a short date for the parties to tell the court if the settlement process is going on or not.
Justice Diepiri after hearing the argument of parties in court yesterday, adjourned the matter till the aforementioned date to enable parties conclude on settlement.
Counsel for Mr Daniel Chukwudozie and Dozzy Oil and Gas Limited, Mr. Okey Obikeze, had told the Court that all efforts to settle matter out of court has failed woefully.
Mr Ibeto had filed a fundamental rights suit, seeking the court to prevent the anti-craft agency from investigating allegations of fraud bordering on obtaining by false pretense the sum of N4.8 billion forgery and criminal breach of trust brought against him by Dozzy Oil and Gas Limited.
The matter filed by the applicant in Suit No. PHC/268/FHR/2022, also prayed the court to declare the alleged harassment on him unlawful, declare that EFCC is not empowered to tackle contract matters.
The suit further prayed the court to declare that EFCC lacks power to handle land transactions, to restrain the Commission from arresting Ibeto and that the respondent should be ordered to pay N500million damages for unconstitutional arrest of the applicant.
When the matter was mentioned in court for hearing on settlement, counsel for Ibeto, I. B. Mboho urged the court for more time to conclude the settlement by parties in the matter.
Mboho who held brief for the appellant counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu, (a Senior Advocate of Nigeria), told the court that by next adjourned date the parties would have come up with a successful report.
But in a swift reaction, counsel for Dozzy, Okey Obikeze told the court that the settlement process have woefully failed. He revealed that after two times meeting with the applicant, parties agreed that the settlement had failed.
He orally applied that the court should adopt their processes to commence hearing on the matter.
Our Correspondent reported that counsel for EFCC was not present in court during hearing on the matter.
Speaking with Journalists outside the courtroom, counsel for Dozzy, Obikeze explained that the settlement plan has be ruled off, adding that his clients are ready for the matter in court.
According to Obikeze “The matter was adjourned for report of settlement because previously parties agreed to be allowed to go and see if they can settle between themselves peacefully but parties, settlement has failed woefully.
“Our duty is to report back to the court and when the matter was called today, surprisedly counsel to the applicant announced to the court that settlement is still ongoing which to me is not the true position.
“On my own part, I informed the court that parties have met but have agreed that settlement have failed. That we should come and inform the court accordingly and the court will then give us date for the matter to proceed.
“From what the applicant counsel has done today, gives the impression that right from time, their intention was not settle but to buy time.
“We met twice and at the first meeting we agreed to meet again but at the second meeting there was no agreement to meet again because the settlement has failed”, Obikeze added.
