The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday ordered Chairman of Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, Dr Ambrose Orjiako, to appear before it for allegedly disobeying its orders.
Justice Hadiza Shagari made the order based on an application by a firm, AOS Orwell Ltd.
The firm, which initiated contempt proceedings against Orjiakor, is praying the court for an order committing him to prison for his “willful, deliberate and orchestrated disobedience to the interim orders which metamorphosed into interlocutory orders of this honourable court”.
Yesterday, AOS Orwell’s lawyer Mr Kunle Ogunba (SAN) applied to the court to order Orjiako to appear at the hearing of the contempt applications.
He said: “Your lordship should send a strong message to him and others who have the temerity to violate court orders that they cannot get a slap on the wrist by sending a representative.”
According to the petitioner/applicant, the court made orders restraining the respondent (Shebah Exploration and Production Company Ltd) or its agents from dealing with or tampering with the company’s assets, funds, shares and equipment within and outside Nigeria.
It said despite the service of the court orders on the company, Orjiako “proceeded to deal with, dissipate and/or alienate the shares/assets of the respondent contrary to the orders.”
AOS Orwell said Orjiako “is the Managing Director, Chairman/alter ego and the Chief Executive Officer of Shebah Exploration and Production.”
The petitioner, in a supporting affidavit deposed to by Hellen Atulukwu, a lawyer in Ogunba’s firm, Insolvency Forte, said Orjiako and the respondent “willfully disobeyed the extant orders of the Federal High Court made in this suit despite being fully aware” of them.
Ogunba informed Justice Hadiza that Orjiako allegedly violated the orders of court by divesting the shares of Shebah Exploration and Production.
The SAN said he filed Forms 48 (notice of consequence of disobedience of court order) and 49 (notice of committal), adding that they should be heard first before all other applications.
“Contempt strikes at the majesty of the court. If left unattended to, court proceedings can become a circus. I urge your lordship to hold that the contempt proceedings should be accorded priority,” he said.
But Orjiako’s lawyer, Dr K. U. Ekwueme, said he filed applications seeking to vacate the ex-parte orders.
He argued that his client was not in contempt of court because the shares “is in relation to another company altogether.”