EFCC kicks as court awards Emefiele N100m over illegal detention

By Andrew Orolua

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said it would appeal a court judgment ordering the agency to pay N100 million to former Central Bank Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele.

In a statement on Monday night by the EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, the anti graft body said it would appeal the judgment.

A judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT) Olukayode Adeniyi on Monday slammed a whopping sum of N100 million against the federal government EFCC for unlawfully detaining Emefiele.

Justice Adeniyi further barred the federal government and any of its agencies notwithstanding Emefiele’s current trial, from re-arresting, detaining and harassing him over any alleged offence without first obtaining a warrant of arrest from a court of competent jurisdiction.

The judge made the order after he declared the detention of Emefiele for over five months by the Department of State Service (DSS) and EFCC as illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional.

According to the judge, the excuse by the federal government that Emefiele was being investigated for other alleged infractions was not tenable, adding that the order of detention obtained from a Chief Magistrate Court in Wuse, Abuja lacked probative value.

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He further berated security agencies for first arresting and detaining suspect before investigation.

Brothers of the embattled former CBN Governor who had been in unlawful detention since June 10 to December 23, 2023 had filed the Fundamental Human Rights suit after all pleads for administrative bail were rejected.

In a swift reaction however, the EFCC has expressed dissatisfaction with the judgment.

The EFCC’s statement said: “Justice O.A. Adeniyi, on Monday, January 8, 2024 fined the Commission after he ruled that the Commission’s detention of Emefiele in the course of his investigation was a violation of his right to liberty.

“The decision failed to take cognizance of the fact that the former CBN boss was held with a valid order of court. Consequently, the Commission will approach the Court of Appeal to set it aside”.