Court Warns ICPC Against Contempt

The judge was responding to complaints by counsel to Pinnacle Communications Limited about a press release issued by ICPC which contained inaccurate references to proceedings in the case instituted by Pinnacle Communications Limited against the Commission following freesing of its account over an investigation into payment of N2.5 biĺlion by the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission. The judge asked the ICPC counsel to convey his dissatisfaction to the Chairman of the ICPC. The counsel to Pinnacle Communications, N Ekanem (SAN) had drawn attention of the court to the ICPC press release saying it was in contempt of the court but adding that his client would take further action on the libellous aspects of the release. He also maintained that though the Chairman of Pinnacle presented himself before ICPC it was as a mark of respect for the court because he was not compelled to do so by the court as erroneously contained in the press release. Meanwhile the matter was adjourned to December 14 for ruling on application by Pinnacle Communications Limited seeking to defreeze it’s account .]]>