The Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and other agencies involved in the probe of Senate President Bukola Saraki over corruption allegations.
Saraki on Friday filed two separate fundamental rights enforcement suits before the court to challenge the decision of the EFCC to seize his houses.
The EFCC had said it would investigate Saraki’s earning while he was the Governor of Kwara State from 2003 to 2011.
Saraki, who described the investigation as a witch-hunt, approached the court, filing two charges in order to restrain the anti-graft agency from probing his earnings and emoluments.
Ruling on an ex parte application filed along with the substantive suit by Saraki, Justice Taiwo Taiwo, on Tuesday ordered the anti-corruption body and the other five respondents to the suit to stay action on the probe pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed by the applicant.
Justice Taiwo added that the law allows such an application to be granted in a situation where the applicant would likely face “hardship” between the time of serving processes in the suit on the respondents and hearing and determination of the suit.
“I am of the view, after due consideration of the aforesaid, that this court ought to make the order being sought by the applicant pending the hearing and determination of the originating motion on notice,” says Justice Taiwo
He added: “By the provision of Order 4(3) of the Fundamental Rights Civil Procedure Rules, 2009, the court may, if satisfied that the applicant may be caused hardship before the service of an application where liberty or life of the applicant is involved hear the application ex parte upon such interim reliefs as the justice of the application may demand.
