The Chairman of the Ekiti State Football Association, Mr. Bayo Olanlege and five other Board Members have been jailed for contempt of court in a suit consequent upon leadership crisis rocking the body.
An Ado Ekiti Chief Magistrate’s Court presided over by Mr. Adesoji Adegboye, sentenced the six football chiefs to 14 days imprisonment without an option of fine for disobeying an order to appear in court in the suit challenging their legitimacy.
Other Ekiti FA board members jailed are Chief Ariyo Amos, Mr. J.I. Fatukasi, Mr. Ibidun Isaac, Mr. Ajibewa and Mr. Aregbesola.
Apparently miffed by the refusal of the defendants in the suit to appear in court despite being summoned repeatedly, Chief Magistrate Adegboye insisted that “the sanctity of the court must be protected at all times” hence the order to commit them to prison.
The Chief Magistrate, having listened to Rotimi Adabembe Esq. and Opeyemi Ogunremi Esq. for the plaintiffs/applicant and Femi Familusi Esq. counsel to the defendants/respondent said consequently gave the order.
The order canvassed by the plaintiffs sought to commit the defendants to prison for disobedience to the order of this honourable court made on 18/04/2019 is hereby granted.
“The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th respondents are to be kept at the Correctional Centre, Ado Ekiti and produced in this court on Thursday 29th of July, 2021, when they should have purged of the contempt, he said.”
The plaintiffs, Segun Adelakun, Olu Ikusemori and Ajayi Lanre had through their counsel Opeyemi Ogunremi on 14/05/2019, brought an order pursuant to Section 52 of Ekiti State Magistrate Court Law, 2014 to the court, seeking for an order committing the respondents to prison for disobedience to the order of court made on 18th of April, 2019.
It would be recalled that, an ex-parte motion was brought to court on 27/03/2019 by the plaintiffs, seeking for order of this honourable court restraining the defendants from further parading themselves as members of executive of Ekiti State Football Association pending the determination of suit against them.
In the motion, there are five grounds upon which the application is predicated, they are;
Applicants commenced the suit against the defendants on 27/03/2019.
Applicants applied for an ex-parte order of the court.
The court in the spirit of promoting peace and peace in the society granted the said ex-parte order on 18/04/2019.
Despite that and in spite of the notice of the said order on the defendants, they have continue to disrespect and flagrantly disobey the order of this honourable court, hence, this application for an order of committing to prison against the respondents.
The matter is adjourned till July 29, for hearing of the substantive matter.
