Maduako Igbokwe l Friday, July 1, 2022
ONITSHA, Anambra – Justice Alexious Okuma of Atani, Anambra State High Court, has adjourned till July 22, 2022, for ruling in the fundamental right application brought by Chief Ndubuisi Ochiogu and others against the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Dr. Obinna Ngonadi, , and Attorney-General of the State.
In the case, Ochiogu through his lawyer is praying the court to quash his sack and replacement with a Caretaker Committee by the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry without hearing his side of the allegations they relied on to sack him and inspite of Court order that status quo ante bellum be maintained .
The case was adjourned for judgment on July 1, 2022 but Justice Okuma sitting at Onitsha cited four authorities by the Supreme Court and asked counsels to both parties to address the court on the cases as they relate to the current case.
The cases, according to Justice Okuma, touch on the jurisdiction, saying that they should go and read them and address the court, connecting the cases with their own case to guide him on the decision he will take.
He also directed that they should file their addresses within seven days and return July 22 for judgment.
The Court had on June 17 adjourned to July 1, for the judgment on the matter in which Ochiogu’s counsel, Chief Ben Uzuegbu had prayed the court to quash the sack and replacement of his clients by the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry and his privies despite court orders.
The court had earlier ordered for the maintenance of statu quo ante bellum which the Commissioner and his agents observed in breach when they broke into Ochiogu’s office, chased away his staff and ransanked everything in the office.
