Firearms: Court Extends Order Barring Police, AGF From Prosecuting Ex-NISA Boss, Jolapamo
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Lagos Federal High Court has further restrained Nigeria Police Force and the Attorney General of the Federal (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN), from arraigning a 76-year-old, ex-president of the Nigerian Indigenous Shipowners Association (NISA), Chief Isaac Jolapamo, over alleged illegal possession of firearms.
At the resumed hearing of Chief Jolapamo Thursday, his counsel, Mr. Femi Falana told the court that the respondents, despite being served with the today’s hearing notice failed to be in court.
He told the court that counsel to first and third defendants, Oluokun and Ofolue, assured him of their presence in court today.
He urged the court to hear his client’s application prior to the December 2, which was the proposed date to arraign him, for an allegation ‘he has been cleared off. He consequently, asked the court for a short date and for court to order parties to maintain statue quo till the hearing and determination of the applicant’s suit.
Following the submission made by falana (SAN), Justice Lewis-Allagoa ordered parties to maintain statue quo till the hearing and determination of the suit.
The matter has been adjourned till November 24.
Justice A. Lewis -Allagoa while ruling on a motion ex parte filed on November 1, against the Inspector General of Police, Olufunke Otti Jolapamo and Attorney General of the Federation, had ordered the parties to ‘maintain status quo’ pending the determination of the suit against them.
Chief Jolapamo’s lawyer, Falana (SAN) had approached the court to seek an order of interim injunction restraining IGP, AGF either by themselves, servants or privies from arranging his client, via charge No. FHC/L/404C/22 alleging illegal possession of firearms at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, pending the final determination of the origination motion, herein.
In affidavit in support of the suit, deposed to by the applicant , Jolapamo, he averred that the second respondent, Olufunke Otti Jolapamo who wrote petition against him on the alleged offence his is wife who until recently lived together with him at No. 23 Olusegun Aina Street, Park-view Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos.
He averred that the aforementioned property was purchased for the sum of N420 million from the proceed of the sale of his vessels (Mor-Prosperity and Mor-Power, which were sold in November, 2017 at a price of over N800 Million and the proceed was paid into the CTSR First Bank account of the second respondent.
Jolapamo alleged that trouble started when the his wife informed him sometime on November 14, 2020 via WhatsApp message of her intention to sell the aforementioned property
