Suit against EFCC, ex-LG boss, others for judgment June 29

By Lukman Olabiyi

Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos will, on June 29, deliver judgment in the suit filed against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ) and six others over alleged unlawful arrest and infringement  of fundamental rights of a lawyer, Chief Kenneth Chukwuemeka Ajoku.

The court had earlier fixed, Wednesday, for the judgment but due to absence of the trial judge, Justice  Buba, the court fixed the new date.

Others joined as respondents in the suit in a former chairman of Ekiti Local Government Area,  Kwara State, Hon. Abraham Ogunleye, a lawyer, Taiwo Kupolati, Folorunsho Sholanke, Jide Olayemi, Lolade Akinwunmi and Dr Ishaku Danladi Msheliza.

In the suit, Chief Ajoku alleged that he was unlawfully arrested, handcuff and detained by the operatives of EFCC based on alleged frivolous petition written by others respondents over a brief he took from his client.

The applicant who is also a property consultant alleged that his client property was forcefully seized and confiscated without any court order  and despite  two valid and subsisting court judgment in favour of the applicant client in respect  of a property  at Block 1,T Close, 3 Avenue, Festac Town.

Among  the prayers of Chief  Ajoku  before the court are a declaration  that his arrest and detention  by EFCC on May 4, is illegal, unconstitutional and unlawful.

He also prayed to grant an order compelling the respondents severally and jointly to pay the sum of #300, 000, 000 as general and exemplary damages for the threat to life and right, arrest, detention, harassment, embarrassment,  forceful invasion  and sign of his office without  cause or any order of court.

All the respondents however, denied all the allegations in their counter affidavit  to the suit

Specifically, EFCC in its counter affidavit deposed  to by its operative, Ayodele  Samuel averred that Chief Ajoku was in possession  of forged power of Attorney  and he is allegedly using it to carry out criminal activities.

Samuel  averred that the commission  is only carrying out her statutory duties and not being used  by other respondents.

Other respondents in the suit averred that they were not aware that the applicant was arrested and detained by EFCC.  They averred that the applicant  was neither  threaten nor aware of any alleged threat of arrest and detention  of him.

Besides,  the respondents averred that they were not aware of any forceful invasion  or siege  of the applicant’s office.