Judge Hands off Akpolobokemi’s Wife’s Suit against EFCC

 Former Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Patrick Akpolobokemi

By Davidson Iriekpen

Justice Ofili Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court in Lagos has taken his hands off the fundamental human rights enforcement suit filed before her court by Mrs Timi Beauty Akpobolokemi, the wife of the embattled former Director General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Patrick Akpolobokemi against Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)

When the case was mentioned and Dr Joseph Nwobike (SAN) announced his appearance for the applicants, and Uchenna Moneke announced his appearance for the EFCC, Justice Ajumogobia said: “For personal reasons I am handing off the case. Consequently, the case file will be returned to the chief Judge for re-assignment.”

The co-applicants alongside Mrs Akpobolokemi are Clement Akpobolokemi, Stephen Akpobolokemi, Julius Akpobolokemi, Victor Akpobolokemi who are all biological brothers of the former NIMASA boss.

In an affidavit sworn to by Stephen Akpobolokemi and filed before the court by Nwobike, the deponent averred that on July 31, 2015, fully armed operatives of the EFCC numbering about 25, stormed the residence of the former NIMASA boss at 6 Ondo Street, Banana Island, Lagos State on account of EFCC’s investigations into the stewardship of Dr Akpobolokemi during his tenure as the Director General of NIMASA.

Stephen averred further that without any search warrant, the EFCC operatives harassed them and coerced Mrs Akpobolokemi to write an incriminating statement against her husband on account of his stewardship and without the order of the court, blocked the woman’s account maintained at United Bank for Africa Plc while she was invited by the agency to report at their office on November 5, 2015.
Whereas the woman has never been a staff of NIMASA and has never impeded the investigation of her husband.

The four brothers also alleged that they have been under constant threats of arrest and detention by EFCC on the account of being the brothers of Dr. Akpobolokemi, while Julius Akpobolokemi  accounts domicile with Ecobank and Diamond Bank had been frozen, Victor Akpolobokemi’s account maintained with First Bank of Nigeria was also frozen

Stephen also contended that by the actions of the anti-graft agency their fundamental right to liberty have been breached.
Consequently, the applicants while claiming damages in the sum of N100million against the EFCC for the irreparable emotional, and psychological damages jointly and severally suffered are urging the court to declare that the harassment and intimidation and the threat of their arrest and detention on account of their affinity with Dr  Akpolokemi are unconstitutional, illegal and unlawful.

Two of the applicants whose accounts have been frozen are also urging the court to declare the freezing of their accounts as illegal and to also unfreeze the said accounts.