Why Innoson withdrew law suit against EFCC, GTB ?
Dec 23, 2017: Innoson Nigeria Limited and its CEO/MD, Mr. Innocent Chukwuma, has withdrawn a fundamental right enforcement suit filed against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and five other respondents.
In the Ex-parte application filed before the court, the business man dragged the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Nigeria Police Force, and Guarranty Trust Bank (GTB) before the court.
The suit was mentioned on Thursday but adjourned till Friday, as there was controversy over the coming into the matter by any of the respondents.
When the matter was mentioned yestarday, lawyer to GTB, Mr. Adebowale Kamoru, while citing several Supreme Court authorities insisted that GTB must be heard in the Ex-parte application.
The GTB lawyer submission was strongly opposed by the lawyer to innoson Nigeria Limited and Mr. Innocent Chukwuma.
The presiding judge, Justice Hadizat Rabiu-Shagari, had to adjourned the suit till Friday, as both parties were unable to reach a concession on the matter.
At the resumed hearing of the application on Friday, Innoson’s lawyer, Professor MacCharty Mbaduagha, told the court of his clients’ intention to withdraw the suit, due to the filing of a counter by the sixth respondent, Guaranty Trust Bank.
Innoson lawyer says: “giving the development as at yesterday, we filed a motion Ex-parte on 20 December, 2017, we did not serve the processes on any of the respondents.
“Yestarday, the sixth respondent was represented on Ex-parte application, counsel made submission and informed the courtyard that the sixth defendant had indeed filed a counter to the Ex-parte application.
“We brought this to the notice of our client and he instructed us to withdraw it, and find out why due process is not follow in the circumstance.
“We duly and humbly apply to withdraw the suit”.
In response, GTB lawyer, Adebowale Kamoru, said they are not opposing the withdrawal of the suit.
He, however, stated that they will await the applicants’ investigation how his clients got to know about the suit.
Ruling on the application, the presiding judge, Justice Hadizat Rabiu-Shagari, granted to Innoson request.
“In view of the application of the applicants’ counsel, the application is hereby granted.