Alphonsus Nweze
Justice Alexious Okuma of Atani, Anambra State High Court, has adjourned till July 22, 2022, for judgement 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 in which they relied on to sack him in spite of court order that status quo ante bellum be maintained in the matter.
The case was initially adjourned for judgement on July 1, 2022 but Justice Okuma sitting at Onitsha cited four authorities by the Supreme Court and asked the counsels to both parties to address the court on the cases in relation to the current case.
The cases, according to Justice Okuma, touches 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 back on July 22 for judgement.
The court had on June 17 adjourned till 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 by force of his clients by the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry and his privies in spite of court orders
The court had earlier ordered for the maintenance of status quo ante bellum which the commissioner and his agents observed in breach when they broke into Ochiogu’s office, chased away his staff and ransacked his office.
