The Minister of Defence, Bello Matawalle has appealed the judgement of a Sokoto Federal High Court which okayed the seizure of 50 vehicles from his residence by the Zamfara State government.
The government had alleged that Matawalle, who is the immediate past Governor of the state, illegally took away the vehicles upon the expiration of his tenure on May 29, 2023.
It had earlier ordered both the governor and his deputy to, within five working days, return all the official vehicles in their possession.
However, after the ultimatum expired in June, police, on the behest of the government of the state, raided Matawalle’s residence and retrieved the 50 vehicles.
Dissatisfied with the action, the former governor filed a suit before the Federal High Court in Sokoto.
In the decision it delivered last Friday, the court held that the action of the state government was in order.
Not happy with the development, Matawalle, in the appeal he filed through his team of lawyers led by Ahmed Raji, SAN, described the judgement of the high court as a miscarriage of justice.
In his six grounds of appeal, he maintained that the high court erred in law and arrived at an unjust decision against him.
He contended that the court expunged a vital exhibit that was adduced before it as well as an affidavit that was deposed in support of his originating motion.
Matawalle further argued that there was no evidence that a valid court order was shown to occupants of the house where police invaded and retrieved the vehicles.
According to the Appellant, the high court failed to do a proper evaluation of evidence that was adduced in the matter, before it arrived at the judgement that dismissed his case.
Insisting that the verdict was against the weight of evidence, Matawalle urged the appellate court to allow his appeal and set aside the judgement of the high court by ordering the return of the seized vehicles to him.
Meanwhile, no date has been fixed for the matter to be heard.
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