A federal high court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, has fined the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) N10 million for unlawfully declaring Οyinmiebi Bribena, a pastor, and his wife Beatrice, wanted.
Isa Dashen, the presiding judge, gave the declaration while ruling on a matter marked FHC/YNG/CS/132/2022 filed on June 10, 2022, by the applicants seeking the enforcement of their fundamental human rights.
The couple had amongst several reliefs, sought a declaration that a publication made by the commission on June 8, 2022 via Guardian Newspaper on page 36, declaring them wanted without a valid court order, constituted a “breach of their fundamental rights to personal liberty, freedom of movement, right to private and family life and dignity of human person as guaranteed by Sections 34(1), 35(1) 37 and 41(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As amended), and Articles 4, 5, 6 and 12(1) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Cap A9, Laws of the Federation, 2004”.
Bribena is the pastor in charge of Christ Embassy Church in Kumasi, Ghana.
The judge agreed with the applicants and granted all the reliefs sought.
The judge also made an order directing and compelling the EFCC to offer a public apology to Bribena and Beatrice for the “unlawful and unconstitutional” publication.
He also gave an order “restraining the EFCC from inviting, harassing, arresting and detaining Οyinmiebi and Beatrice Biribena, pending the determination of a suit marked FHC/YNG/CS/125/2022”.
However, instead of the N100 million sought by the applicants, the judge awarded N10 million as exemplary damages against the EFCC and Wilson Umujaren, former spokesperson of the commission.
Although the judgment was delivered on March 22, 2024, the certified true copy was obtained on April 30.
