A former Minister of State for Finance, Mrs. Esther Nenadi Usman, has asked Justice Mohammed Aikawa of a Federal High Court in Lagos to commit the Information Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, to prison over alleged contempt.

In a motion on notice filed through her lawyer, Chief Ferdinand Orbih (SAN), the former minister argued that the inclusion of her name on the looters’ list released by the information minister during the pendency of an alleged fraud case against her is contemptuous.

She added that the minister’s action is an attempt to prejudice the mind of the public against her in the case pending before the court.

The former minister had already been granted leave to serve the motion on notice on the information minister by substituted means.

This was sequel to the granting of an ex-parte application filed to that effect.

Nenadi’s lawyer had while moving the ex-parte application said it will be difficult to personally serve the information minister as required by the law.

“We are also seeking for an order to serve the motion on notice on any responsible senior officer from the ministry of information. The court is empowered to grant the application even though there has been no attempt to serve the information minister”, the lawyer said.

After listening to the lawyer’s arguments, Justice Aikawa ordered the service of the motion on notice on the information minister’s secretary.

Hearing of the motion on notice has been fixed for October 2.

Mrs. Usman is currently standing trial before the judge alongside a former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, one, Danjuma Yusuf and a company, John Trust Dimensions Nigeria Limited, on a 17-count charge of alleged N4.6 billion fraud.

The EFCC, in the charge, marked FHC/L/C/251c/2016, accused the defendants of conspiracy, unlawful retention of proceeds of theft and money laundering. (New Telegraph)

Update news