….orders return of his seized property
Justice K.B. Olawoyin of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan, has awarded the sum of N5m as damages against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the violation of fundamental human rights of one Mr. Blessing Abegunde.
In the Suit No M 366/2024, the court also ordered the respondent (EFCC) to refund to the applicant the sum of N800,000.00 paid at the instance of the applicant to the Applicant’s Solicitors as legal and professional fee in respect to the case.
The court judgement reads: “The Respondent is hereby ordered to forthwith return to the Applicant the following items/ properties of the Applicant carried away by the Agents, Officers and Operatives of the Respondent from the residence/office of the Applicant:
“Plagues, Awards, Documents, Copy of Defendant’s Statement of Account, Defendant’s Extra-judicial Statements, Letter of investigation activities and responses thereto, Response copies of Memorandum of understanding), ATM Cards and Machines of Moniepoint Micro Finance Bank.
“Accordingly, this instant 2nd Application of the Applicant (i.e. the Motion on Notice dated and filed 31/5/2024) also succeeds and I hereby make the following orders in grant thereof:
“The Respondent is hereby directed through its Operatives, Officers, Agents, and/or Servants at its Ibadan Zonal Command to release forthwith to the Applicant the underlisted phones belonging to the Applicant and which the Respondent through its aforesaid Operative, Officers, Agents and/or Servants at its Ibadan Zonal Officer seized from the Applicant since 24/4/2024:
“Samsung Galaxy Fold-4, Samsung Galaxy A05, Partner phone, Oppo phone.
“The Applicant shall enter into a Bond to be filed in this Court to produce the said aforementioned phones before the Federal High Court, Ibadan in respect of charge No. FHC/IB/43/2024 filed by the Respondent against the Applicant and Smart People Global Multipurpose Business Ltd at any time the Respondent may require the Applicant to produce them before that Court or the said Federal High Court may require them.
“A Certified True Copy of the Bond shall be served on the Respondent by the Bailiff of this Court.”