DG Arts and Culture, Runsewe imprisoned for disobeying court orders

BrandPower Magazine 09/01/2020Last Updated: 09/01/2020

1 minute read

DG National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Olusegun Runsewe,

The Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Olusegun Runsewe, has been sentenced to prison.

The order was made by Justice Jude Okeke of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Thursday while ruling on a motion drawn from a suit filedby Ummakalif Ltd against the Minister, Federal Capital Territory, Federal Capital Development Authority, the Director General National Council for Arts and Culture, and the Minister for Culture and Tourism, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants respectively.

The motion dated the 21st day of June, 2019, was brought pursuant to Order 47 rule 10 subrules 1 , 2 and 3 of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory Civil Procedure Rules 2018. In the motion, the claimant sought an order of the court committing Runsewe to prison for contempt of court order made on December 15, 2017.

Justice Okeke described Runsewe’s action as highly contemptuous, adding that committing him to the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS) would serve as a deterrent to others who abuse office and disobey court orders with disdain.

He ordered the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to arrest Runsewe with immediate effect and hand him over to the NCS pending when he retraces his steps.

The court had ordered parties in the suit to stay proceedings on every activity concerning the demolition of the Arts and Craft village located in the Central Business District area of the FCT.

However, the respondents in the suit, particularly the NCAC flouted that rule.

Yetunde Adegoke