By Ononye VC
An Onitsha High Court presided over by Justice T U Oguji on Tuesday adjourned further proceedings in the case filed against the Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha and Governor of Anambra State over ownership of Ugborimili Primary Schools, Housing Estate,Fegge.
This followed an application by Counsel to the Plaintiffs,Ben Osaka,SAN that he needed more time to be able to react to the Motion for Stay of Proceedings filed by Counsel for the Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha, Sir Azubike Anazor. Barr Anazor had submitted that High Court No 2 could not at this stage hear anything concerning alleged criminal contempt of court levelled against the Chancellor of Onitsha Archdiocese, Fr Prudentius Aroh and the Parish Priest of Queen of Peace Parish, Housing Estate Fegge managing Ugborimili Primary Schools on behalf of the Archdiocese, Fr Basil Okelu. Sir Anazor had submitted that the issue of allegation of contempt is as inchoate as it is premature because the validity of the interim orders alleged to have been violated is a matter of pending contestation before Onitsha High Court No 4 presided over by Honourable Justice Sylvester Odili.
He stressed that both parties were awaiting the outcome of a Ruling to be delivered any time from now by the said Justice Odili, after arguments in that regard were concluded before him on February 1, 2024. To cite Rev Frs Aroh and Okelu in a different court when the said issue of validity had not been decided and is pending in another court is an exercise in gross abuse of judicial process and a flagrant breach of the rights of the priests to fair hearing, Barr Anazor had submitted. Accordingly, the court adjourned further proceedings in the matter to May 30, 2024.
