Kanyi Okeke
On friday, a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, ordered the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to pay the N25 million judgment fee awarded against it to Babatunde Omidina, a.k.a Baba Suwe, within 21 days.
Justice Yetunde Idowu, who gave the order in granting a conditional stay of execution to the NDLEA, said the applicant needed to show that there were special circumstances as to why the litigants could not pay the judgment debt or that the payment of the debt would affect the execution of its appeal.
“I grant a conditional Stay of Execution. The N25 million judgment debt should be paid to the Chief Registrar of the Lagos High Court, who will in turn pay it into an interest-yielding account of a bank that both parties choose.
“The money should be paid within 21 days from today,” the judge said.
Justice Idowu added that, “The applicant has not given sufficient proof to show that paying the money will harm its operation in any way. What is brought is a mere piece of paper that did not show any details of spending and expenditure.”
She added that collecting a bank guarantee in lieu of the judgment debt pending appeal meant leaving the money with the debtor to do as he wished until the case is determined.
NDLEA had on February 8, applied to the court for an order of Stay of Execution on its judgment delivered on November 24, 2011 pending the determination of an appeal it filed on December 6, 2011 against the judgment…If you missed his ordeal you can read it here.
