The Federal High Court sitting in Warri has issued a Form 48 - Notice of Consequences of Disobedience to Court Order against Delta State's Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Ekemejero Ohwovoriole, SAN, warning of potential imprisonment for contempt of court.
The contempt notice, dated June 13, 2025, follows allegations of procedural misconduct in the ongoing criminal proceedings against child rights advocate, Ighorhiohwunu Aghogho, in Charge No: FHC/WR/92C/2022.
Unauthorized Document Submission
According to court documents, the Delta State Ministry of Justice, through its prosecuting counsel J.A. Amahi Esq., submitted an unfilled and unauthorized letter titled "Further Update on Verification Report in FHC/WR/92C/2022 FRN vs. Ighorhiohwunu Aghogho" to the Deputy Chief Registrar.
The document, dated April 8, 2024, was reportedly read aloud in open court on April 18, 2024, despite not being formally filed, stamped, or entered into the court's official records - a clear violation of standard judicial procedures.
The Court's order explicitly warns: "Take notice that unless you obey the direction contained in the order of this Honourable Court, or refrain from any act that interferes with the due administration of justice in Charge No: FHC/WR/92C/2022, you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison."
Background of the Case
The issue stems from a prior court directive dated March 21, 2024, in which the Federal High Court ordered the prosecution to submit a verification report on the residence of the Defendant's surety, Mr. Phillip Biakpara.
While the initial report was properly filed, the subsequent "further update" dated April 8 bypassed standard court registry procedures, raising serious concerns about procedural abuse.
The Court described the act as "an unlawful attempt to interfere with ongoing judicial proceedings, mislead the court, and usurp the functions of the registry of this Honourable Court, in flagrant disrespect to judicial process."
Implications for the Defendant
This judicial intervention marks a significant development in what has been described as a state-sponsored case involving Aghogho, a human rights defender who has consistently maintained that the criminal charges against him are a direct consequence of his whistleblowing activities.
Aghogho has reportedly targeted child trafficking networks and irregular adoption practices allegedly operated by the Delta State Government through his advocacy work.
The Attorney-General has been expressly warned to desist from further acts of contempt and to take immediate steps to purge himself of the disobedience, with the court emphasizing that failure to comply will result in committal proceedings and possible imprisonment.
The Federal High Court has fixed June 16 to continue hearing on the matter.
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