A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to stop declaring the former Chairman of Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, wanted.
Justice Guwa Ogunbanjo in the judgement delivered on Monday, said the action of the anti-graft agency to declare Maina wanted as unlawful.
In a suit numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/957/2918 filed by Maina on September 5, 2018, he sought a determination of the legality of being declared wanted by EFCC on its website or any other media platform.
He request an order of perpetual injunction stopping the EFCC from further harassing or declaring him wanted.
He further prayed the court to order the EFCC, both jointly or severally, its staff, agents, privies, representatives and any other person or related affiliates under whatever name or guise, to forthwith steer clear and remove his picture, name, references, addresses, details and other particulars from the wanted list published on the EFCC official website or any other related platform wherever it may be.
However, Justice Ogunbanjo ruling on the matter, gave an order of perpetual injunction restraining EFCC and its affiliates or related bodies from further declaring him “wanted” in relation to subject matter of this suit.
Part of the ruling reads, “The plaintiff’s second prayer is a declaration that without recourse to any safeguard in sections 35, 37, 41 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), including a judicial intervention, order of court pursuant to sections 1(1), 8(1) and 42(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, the 1st defendant cannot lawfully exercise its discretion, powers and or functions under sections 1(2)(C), 6, 7, 13 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Act, 2004, ditto section 4 of the Police Act, 2004 within the confines of the law.”
