A Court of Appeal sitting in Jos has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to pay N5 million to one Ephraim Kapara Galadima as compensation for violating his Fundamental Human Right.
The Court in a unanimous Judgement read by his Lordship, Hon. Justice Mudashiru Nasir Oniyangi set aside the Judgement of the State High Court Jos which was in favour of the EFCC, Plateau State Police Command and First City Monument Bank (FCMB).
The FCMB had frozen the account of Galadima based on the instruction of the EFCC and when he approached the bank to find out why the police arrested and beat him up.
Galadima through his counsel, Gyang Zi Esq approached the Court of Appeal Jos Division in Appeal No. CA/J/349/18 and urged the Court to set aside the Judgement of the State High Court
Justice Oniyangi on Thursday ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Commissioner of Police Plateau State Command and others to pay one Ephraim Kapara Galadima the Sum of Five Million Naira (N5,000,000.00) as Compensation for Violating his Fundamental Human Rights.
The Court of Appeal set aside an earlier
Judgement delivered on the 9th May 2018 by Hon. Justice I. I Kunda of the High Court of Plateau State in Suit No. PLD/J/631/ 2017 wherein he dismissed the Appellant/Applicant’s Suit against the Commissioner of Police Plateau State Command, A.M. Awal (DCO A Police Division), Fidelis Odey (DPO, A Police Division) Austin Ogah (Branch Manager FCMB, Jos), First City Monument Bank (FCMB) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
It is the case of the Appellant that his account with First City Monument Bank (FCMB) was frozen and when he approached the Bank to inquire why his account was frozen, he was arrested, beaten and taken to A Division, Jos Plateau State Command by the Police.
He was further detained for over five days before his subsequent transfer to Abuja and Portharcourt where he was further detained without informing him of the offence he committed.
The Appeal Court discharged First City Monument Bank (FCMB) of the alleged violation of the Rights of the Appellant on the ground that the Bank only acted on the instruction of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The Court condemned the action of the EFCC, Commissioner of Police Plateau State Command and their agents and Ordered them to pay the sum of Five Million Naira (N5,000,000.00) to the Appellant having found that his Fundamental Human Rights under Chapter IV of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended) were violated.