The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has expressed dissatisfaction over a court judgment awarding N100 million damages against it in favour of a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele.
The commission said it would appeal the ruling.
Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court on Monday awarded N100 million in damages to suspended former Governor of the central bank of Nigeria, CBN, against the Federal Government and EFCC over the violations of his rights.
Justice Adeniyi 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.
However, EFCC said in a statement on Monday by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale: “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.”
The embattled Emefiele had dragged the Federal Government, Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, EFCC to enforce his fundamental rights to life, personal liberty, fair hearing and freedom of movement.
Mr Emefiele sought a declaration of the court that his continued detention by the agency of the first and second respondents since June 10, 2023 and subsequent transfer to the custody of the third and fourth respondents on October 26, 2023 without being arraigned in court is unlawful.
He said the respondents in deviance of several valid subsisting court orders for his release amounts to a grave violation of his fundamental rights to life, personal liberty, as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
He, therefore, among others sought an injunction restraining the respondents from further arresting and or further detaining him up on his release by the court without proffering a criminal charge against him.
He also sought damages of N1 billion in his favour for the violation of his fundamental rights.