Court Foils Police’s Attempt to Arrest Healthplus MD Inside Court Premises

A mild drama ensued at the Federal High Court Lagos today as officers from the Police Force CID Abuja attempted to arrest the Managing Director of HealthPlus Limited, Mrs. Bukky George at the premises of the court after the court proceedings where parties had made undertaking to maintain status quo and ensure the preservation of the res.

The attempt to arrest Mrs. George which was brought to the notice of the court by her counsel angered the Judge, Justice Oguntoyinbo who immediately ordered the police to obey the order of court or be liable for contempt.

It all started after the court had adjourned to 27^th November, 2020 for hearing of all pending application in the suit. According to Mrs. George’s counsel, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde SAN, she was accosted by the Policemen on her way out of the court premises in  disobedient to the order of court that parties should maintain status quo.   Upon hearing the above development, Justice Oguntoyinbo wordered as follows:

1. That the Court, in the absence of the Counsel to the 2″d, 4th  & 5th  Respondents,  having heard  of what transpired after      the     Court’s     earlier     proceedings     and     in consideration· of the undertaking   of Oluseye Opesanya SAN,  that   his  clients  will  not  subvert   the   Court’s   proceedings  and  orders  and  will await  the  decision of Court  of  the 2^nd, 4^th and 5^th  Respondents’  Motion for stay of proceedings pending  arbitration scheduled to be heard  on the 27/11/20, now orders  that all parties to this action  shall  maintain·  status   quo  until  the  Court  has  determined    the  Motion   for  stay  of  the  2^nd, 4^th and 5^th Respondents.

2. That    the    Police    officers,    having    being    in   Court, particularly the  lady  dressed   improperly this  morning, are  compelled  to obey this order  of Court

3. That  anybody who  attempts to disobey  the order  of this Court   will  be in .contempt  of this  Court   and  shall  bear the  consequences.

Mrs. George in a suit with No. FHC/L/CS/609/2020 filed against six Respondents; HealthPlus  Limited, HealthPlus  Africa   Holdings, Dr Ayo Salami, Ms Afsane  Jetha, Mr Zacharty Fond and Mr Deji  Akinyanju is seeking among other reliefs an order of the Honourable Court to stop her removal as CEO of the 1^st Respondent.

While the suit was pending and prior to hearing Mrs. George’s motion for injunction, the Board of HealthPlus Limited had allegedly removed Mrs. George as the CEO of the company.  (Read here)

The court adjourned the suit to 27^th November, 2020 for hearing of all pending applications.