By Chuks Eke
A motion filed by an aggrieved member of Incorporated Registered Trustees of Anglican Diocese of Awka, Anambra state seeking to vacate an ex-parte order restraining the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC from arresting and investigating fraudulent allegations levied against the Anglican Archbishop of Province of the Niger and Bishop of Awka Anglican Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Alexander Chibuzo Ibezim, suffered a set back on Tuesday following a fresh application for transfer of the case to another court.
At the resumed hearing of the matter before Justice Ike Ogu of Awka High Court No. 1, which had reached an advanced stage of adoption of written addresses by both parties after which a judgement date would have been slated, counsel to the accused (Bishop Ibezim), Beluolisa Nwofor SAN brought an application for transfer of the case to another court for further adjudications.
According to Nwofor, the application for transfer of the case to another was predicated on perceived bias on the part of the trial judge, arguing that they might not get their desired justice if the case is heard and determined by Justice Ike Ogu.
However, Chief G. Tagbo SAN, counsel to Bonti Onuigbo, the aggrieved member of the Awka Diocesan Board of Trustees, BoT who had initially petitioned the EFCC accusing Bishop Ibezim of selling off Church lands without the consent of members of the BoT, among other fraudulent allegations, raised an objection against Nwofor’s application for transfer of the case file to the Chief Judge of Anambra State, Justice Onochie Anyachebelu for reassignment to another judge, arguing that the move was merely a delay tactics and buying of time.
In his ruling, Justice Ike Ogu ordered that the case file be transferred to the Chief Judge, CJ for reassignment to another court, as demanded by the accused person and adjourned the matter to September 17, this year to enable the CJ decide whether to transfer the case to another court or insist the Ike Ogu should continue and conclude the case.
If both parties had adopted their written addresses with the petitioners asking the court to vacate the ex-parte order granted against the EFCC to refrain from arresting Archbishop Ibezim and/or investingating the substances of the petition, while the accused person insists that the ex-parte order should subsist until the substance of the petition against the Archbishop be heard and determined.
The aggrieved Bonti Onuigbo had complained to EFCC on the strength of a petition written by the former Registrar of the Diocese, Barr. Sir Chris Adimora that Archbishop Ibezim had sold off almost all the landed properties of the Diocese without the consent of the Incorporated Registered Trustees of the Diocese, particularly the former Chancellor of the Diocese, Justice O. J. Okeke (JCA), a retired Judge of Court of Appeal.
But in order to forestal arrest and investigations by the EFCC, based on the petition, Archbishop Ibezim headed to a High Court at Ekwulobia and obtained the ex-parte order restraining the anti-graft agency from arresting him and at the same time carrying out their statutory duties of investigating the allegations contained in the petition.
Following the ex-parte order, the EFCC agreed to suspend all actions pertaining to the petition against Archbishop Ibezim, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
Both parties were to adopt their written addresses in favour or against the vacation of the ex-parte order on May 14, this year but certain preliminary issues and motions were raised before the court and the adoption of addresses was further adjourned to Tuesday, June 23.
Bonti Onuigbo had in the petition, dated July 28, 2025 which was submitted on his behalf to the EFCC’s Enugu Zonal Directorate by his counsel, Chief G. Tagbo (SAN), alleged that Archbishop Ibezim unlawfully sold church lands, arguing that only the Registered Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Anglican Church is legally empowered to handle such transactions.
After the ex-parte order was granted by the Ekwulobia High Court, Mr. A. C. Okoli, counsel to EFCC informed the court that the Commission would obey its order by maintaining status quo and refraining from any further action against Archbishop Ibezim until the motion on notice is heard and determined.
Okoli explained that the EFCC’s invitation letter to the Archbishop, dated October 7, 2025 was issued before the agency became aware of the pending litigation.
According to Okoli, “We are law-abiding and will stay all actions pending the determination of the substantive application. We are, however, requesting a date for hearing,”
Earlier, Archbishop Ibezim’s counsel, Nwofor (SAN), had informed the court that both parties had mutually agreed that the EFCC would not invite, arrest, or take any further action against his client while the case is ongoing.
Nwofor also urged the court to formally suspend the EFCC’s October 7 invitation letter, signed by Mr. Farouk Abdullah on behalf of the Acting Enugu Zonal Director, until the motion on notice is concluded.
