Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday stopped proceedings in the ongoing trial of the former Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, and others.

In a ruling, the judge described the action of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in obtaining an ex-parte order for the freezing of bank accounts of some defendants in the matter before another court as “an abuse of court process.”

He said the conduct amounts to “forum shopping” aimed at getting a favourable court judgment, a conduct that was reprehensible.

Justice Taiwo further termed the act a slap and a contempt of Court but fell short of sanctioning the EFCC.

The judge then ordered a stay of proceedings in the trial until the EFCC and its lawyer “do the needful” by withdrawing the application before the other court.

The EFCC had filed an ex-parte motion before Justice Folashade Giwa-Ogunbanjo for the freezing of the bank accounts.

Other defendants in the alleged N570 million money laundering suit are Garba Umar and his two companies Slopes International Ltd. and Good deal Investment Ltd; others are Frontline Ace Global Services and Asanaya Projects as well as Ubong Okon Effiok and his companies, U & U Global Services Ltd. and Prince Mega Logistics.