ALSCON: Court frees ex-BPE boss Okoh of contempt

The immediate past Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises Alex Okoh has been acquitted of contempt charges in a legal dispute between BPE and BFIG over the ownership and operation of Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State.

The Federal High Court’s decision to acquit Okoh was predicated on the court’s findings that there was no basis to hold him in contempt and committal over the dispute.

Okoh, who was relieved of his position as DG of BPE in January 2024, had battled contempt charges and committal rulings by courts up to the Supreme Court.

His court troubles began in December 2019 when Anwuli Chikere, judge of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, ordered his arrest and imprisonment, after accusing him of disobedience of the Supreme Court order over the ownership controversy of ALSCON.

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But a Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice D.U. Okorowo, upheld Okoh’s request for dismissal and discharge of the contempt/committal and all charges thereof, in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/583/2004 between BFI Group Corporation (judgment creditor/respondent) and BPE (judgment debtor/respondent).

Okoh, who approached the Federal High Court with the yoke of a contemnor, however, secured the discharge as contained in an enrolled order issued by the court on Friday, April 5, 2024.

According to a statement issued by Okoh on Tuesday, April 9, the order by the judge was a sequel to a motion on notice dated and filed on March 12, 2024, praying the court to direct that the contemnor/applicant (Okoh) be discharged.

In the ruling, the judge said he listened to the motion moved by J.O. Adesina (SAN) and others for Okoh, and the response by the opponent’s lawyers led by P.I.N Ikwueto (SAN) for the judgment creditor/respondent who he said did not oppose the application.

The Star