By Gabriel Enogholase
BENIN —  IT was drama at the Edo State Ministry of Education, Iyaro, Benin City, yesterday, as a judgment creditor, barricaded the entrance to the Ministry, preventing people form going in or coming out.

Workers and visitors to the Ministry watched helplessly as the judgment creditor blocked the entrance to the Ministry with his vehicle,  fierce looking anti-riot policemen and court bailiff to effect the judgment debt, which was granted in his favour by an Edo State High Court, Benin.

Managing Director of Portly Holdings Limited, Mr. Portly Giwa-Osagie, who was assisted by four mobile policemen and a bailiff from the Edo State High Court, took the action to compel the Ministry to pay him a N5.1 million outstanding judgment debt for the construction of the first phase of Women Education Centre, Ministry of Education, Benin City.

The contract for the construction of the Women Education Centre was awarded to Portly Holdings Limited by the administration of Chief Lucky Igbinedion and a certificate of payment  issued to the company in 2007.

As the drama was going on amidst pleading by the State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Ngozi Osarenren, that the Ministry be given time to settle the judgment debt, the Chief Registrar of the state High Court, Mrs. V. Eboreime, was said to have allegedly ordered the bailiff, who led the fife operation, Mr. David Asemota, to suspend the execution of the judgment.

Following this development, Managing Director of Portly Holdings, Mr. Giwa- Osagie, has petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, alleging corruption and abuse of office against Chief Registrar.

According to him, “this negative act of impeding the wheel of justice by the Chief Registrar of the High Court, to say the least, is anti-justice, indiscipline, abuse of office and epitomizes corruption of a superior officer of the law, who ought to know better.”

He told  the Commission that the Attorney-General of Edo State had on Monday, August 2, 2010, at about 3:30 p.m. served his former counsel in the case, a motion on notice, staying further execution of judgment even when the defendants/judgment debtors had not filed any notice of appeal against the judgment.”

“We count on you to look into this  grievous injustice, corruption and abuse of office with an aim to curb the excesses of our public servants, as justice should not only be done, but must be seen to be done always in order to move our country forward”, Mr. Giwa urged the ICPC.

It will be recalled that an Edo High Court,  presided over by Justice F.Akinbami had in his judgment in February 2010, ordered the Edo State Ministry of Education to pay the plaintiff, Portly Holdings, the sum of N5.1 million being the cost of the contract and accrued interest for the construction of the first phase of the Women Education Centre, Ministry of Education, Benin – City.