The Federal High Court in Lagos has ruled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) acted unlawfully by declaring Margaret Emefiele, wife of former Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele, as a wanted person. Mrs. Emefiele filed a lawsuit (FHC/L/CS/262/2024) against the Commission and its chairman, arguing that they published her photographs on their website without a valid court order.
In her suit, Mrs. Emefiele sought the court’s declaration that the EFCC’s decision to list her as wanted without a valid charge or court order violated her fundamental rights. She also requested that the EFCC remove her name and photo from their wanted persons list and issue a public apology through national media outlets.
Last Friday, Justice D. I. Dipeolu delivered judgment, declaring the EFCC’s publication of Mrs. Emefiele’s name and photograph on their website as illegal under Sections 41 and 42 of the ACJA, 2015. The judge ordered the EFCC to pay Mrs. Emefiele N3 million in damages for infringing on her rights.
“The Respondent is directed to immediately withdraw the publication of the Applicant’s name and photographs from the fist of persons wanted by the Respondents on its website.
“The Respondents is directed to issue a public apology to the Applicant on its website where the name and photograph of the applicant was published among list of persons wanted. The sum of N3million is awarded against the Respondents jointly and severally in favour of the Applicant for the violation of her Fundamental Rights.”
Additionally, Justice Dipeolu directed the EFCC to immediately retract the publication of Mrs. Emefiele’s name and photos from their wanted list on their website and to issue a public apology to her where her name and photo were previously published.
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