A Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has awarded N10 million in damages against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for declaring Pastor Oyinmiebi Biribena and his wife, Pastor Beatrice Biribena, wanted without a valid court order.
The court ruled that the publication by EFCC on June 8, 2022, declaring the couple wanted without a valid court order, was unjustified, unlawful, and unconstitutional.
Justice Dashen, who presided over the case, made the declaration while ruling on the suit filed by Biribena and his wife, Beatrice Biribena, seeking the enforcement of their fundamental human rights against EFCC.
The court declared that the newspaper publication constitutes a breach of their fundamental rights to personal liberty, freedom of movement, right to private and family life, and dignity of human person as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.
Justice Dashen also ordered EFCC to offer a public apology to the couple for the unlawful publication and restrained the agency from inviting, harassing, arresting, and detaining them pending the determination of another suit.
The court awarded N10 million in exemplary damages against EFCC, instead of the N100 million requested by the plaintiffs.
