Court sentences Inspector-General of Police to 3 months in prison

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, sentenced the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Usman Baba, to a three-month jail term.

PM News reports that the IGP was sentenced over his alleged refusal to obey a sister court judgment reinstating a police officer, Patrick Okoli, who was compulsorily retired back to work.

Justice Bolaji Olajuwon, in a ruling on the contempt proceedings filed by Okoli’s lawyer, Arinze Egbo, also warned Baba against non-compliance with the earlier court judgment.

Justice Olajuwon warned that if the IG failed to purge himself of the contempt, he shall be liable to another three months jail term.

Okoli, in a suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/637/2009, had sued the I-G as a sole respondent in the matter.

The plaintiff, who prayed the court to order his reinstatement, said he was unlawfully retired in 1992 by the Police Council, presently known as the Police Service Commission (PSC), while serving in Bauchi State Command as a chief Superintendent of police, among others.