Contempt : NMA Officials To Appear In Court, Risk Jail Sentence

The Executive Members of the Nigeria Medical Association, Kaduna state branch  will Wednesday appear before  the state High court sitting in Zaria over  alleged act of contempt .

The court directed the respondents to appear before it for allegedly disobeying an exparte order of the court that was issued refraining the officials from conducting elections into various offices pending the determination of the motion on notice before the court.

The court sitting in Zaria, presided by Justice Muhammad Mannir Ladan,  in an order issued on 3^rd August 2018, restrained the officials of NMA Kaduna state branch, and their agents and privies from proceeding to conduct elections that were earlier  schedule  to be held by the association.

In  a suit no KDH/Z/189/2018 brought before the court by one Dr Abdullahi Alfa Muhammad, pursuant to order 15 rules, 1 and 2 of the Kaduna state High court, (civil procedure rules) 2007, prayed the court to issue a restraining order,  barring the association from conducting elections into various offices. The court granted the request.

Justice Muhammad Mannir Ladan had ordered the officials of NMA, Kaduna branch to appear before the court, on Wednesday 31st October and to show cause, why they should not be committed to prison for contempt, over their alleged disobedience     of an order of the  court .

The respondents through their counsel, Barrister Alex Akoja, told the court that the procedure leading to the issuing of the earlier exparte order was fraught with procedural violations.

According to the respondents, they were not duly served with the relevant documents prior to the commencement of the court process, that led to the allegations of court contempt been levied against them.

Barrister Alex Akoja, who challenged the jurisdiction of the court to preside over the matter, urged the court to wholly set aside the exparte order that was earlier granted at the request of the plaintiff.

The respondents in the suit are, state Officers Committee of the Nigeria Medical Association, Kaduna state branch, chairman and secretary, Nigeria Medical Association, Kaduna state branch, others are, former chairman of the association, Dr Muhammad Sani Ibrahim, amongst others.