Contempt: Lawyers call on Police Service Commission to discipline Delta CP, ACP

THE Police Service Commission (PSC) has been urged to call the Commissioner of Police, Delta State, Mr Anthony Mike Ogbizi and Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Burutu Area Command, Mr Marvelous Ikugiobe to questioning and possible discipline for contempt of court.

The duo were said to have mobilised police operatives behind officials of the Asset Management Corporation (AMCON) to invade the premises of Peterson Commercial Agency Ltd at Peterson Jetty, Opete in Udu Local Government Area of the state shortly after a court judgement on December 18 in spite of an appeal already admitted for a stay of execution.

Counsel to Peterson Commercial Agency Ltd, Oghenero Okorodudu & Co, while briefing the press in Warri, accused AMCON of conniving with CP Ogbizi and ACP Ikugiobe to invade the premises in a commando-like manner on December 15 and arresting staff of the firm who are still in detention.

The legal firm said the marine equipment worth millions of naira, which were also forcefully carted away or damaged at Peterson’s premises by AMCON, was still a subject of an appeal in Suit No. OUHC/52/2016, Peterson Commercial Agency vs Ascot Flowlines at the High Court, Otor-Udu.

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“Before now, AMCON tried to unlawfully remove the property, but the previous CP refused to aid them, but rather stopped them. The court, on having the report, reprimanded ASCOT/AMCON whose lawyer apologised to the court and undertook that it won’t happen again.

“AMCON’s conduct is unlawful and condemnable. It undermines the institution of the court and is, in fact, a contempt.

“We, hereby, condemn this disrespect to court by the police and AMCON and attack on the judiciary,” the counsel note.

The counsel called on the PSC to discipline CP Ogbizi and ACP Ikugiobe “for abuse of office, unauthorised use of authority and for undermining the judiciary.”

Meanwhile, ACP Ikugiobe, while responding, said the alleged invasion was a directive he got from the IGP through the Delta CP to provide security for AMCON’s official to access the company’s facility.

Spokesperson of AMCON, Jerry Ogbonna, on his part, said the agency was at Peterson Commercial Agency Ltd to recover assets of a company which was indebted to it, saying it had done nothing wrong.