Court Awards N100,000 To Ex-Bank Chief For Illegal Arrest

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, has declared as illegal, the arrest and detention of former Chief Financial Officer of Bank PHB Plc (now Keystone Bank), Mr. Ugo Anyanwu, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Trial judge, Justice Mohammed Idris, awarded N100,000 damages in favour of Anyanwu.

Anyanwu was arrested by EFCC operatives when he reported voluntarily at its Ikoyi, Lagos office, on May 16, 2011. He was detained from May 16 till June 8 last year without being charged to court.

He had told the court, through his counsel, that EFCC did not disclose any reasons for his arrest and detention, following which he initiated the suit.

He had challenged his  wrongful and unlawful detention by EFCC, contending that his arrest and detention without being charged to court within two days was illegal, as it was contrary to Section 35 (5) (b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

EFCC through its preliminary objection, challenged  Anyanwu’s suit, contending that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain same. The commission argued, among others, that an action cannot be legally commenced against the chairman of the EFCC.

The court in its ruling, held that Anyanwu’s arrest was unlawful. The court also  dismissed EFCC’s objection and upheld Ogwemoh’s arguments.

Culled from VANGUARD