The High Court sitting in Warri ordered the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to publicly apologize to Mr. Julius Oluva Farnmishaw.
Court No. FHC/WR/110C/2019 filed on December 2, 2019, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) charged Akegor Godbles Omamuyovwi and two other persons (the latter in absence) to accuse them of cyber challenges and internet fraud in the federal high court.
The main defendant, Akegor Godblesmuyovwi, was tried along with two other suspects, allegedly the entire suspect.
Read the press release below by Mr. Okedele.
“An interesting aspect of this case is that among the absent alleged suspects, Mr. Julius Oluwafenmisha Okdler did not inform the EFCC before he was filed with the charges.
“Mr. Okedele is a change bureau operator who traded forex with Akegor Godbless Omamuyovwi between 2018 and 2019 as part of his business activities.
After the arraignment of the suspect in the absence of the suspect, the EFCC Edo State office in Benin invited Mr. Okedele on December 5, 2019.
Mr. Okedele worked with the Investigation to provide useful information about his business dealings that had no connection to cybercrime or internet fraud. After his second visit on December 10, 2019, the EFCC concluded that there was no basis for litigation against him and released him.
Unknown to Mr. Okedele, the EFCC continued to prosecute cybercrime charges against him in his absence and listed him as a fugitive without notifying him.
Legal proceedings are conducted without his knowledge or existence.
It is even assumed that Mr. Okedele was properly arraigned. The EFCC knows that Mr Okedele has never received notice or accepted the charge and has not stated in court.
The publication of the allegations on the EFCC website and other media and the publication of the court ruling seriously damaged Mr. Okedele’s reputation and caused him to suffer public slander.
When Mr Okedele realized the allegations only through the EFCC website, a huge shift occurred, where Akegor Godbless Omamuyovwi’s conviction was fully reported. Negative publicity has resulted in significant personal and professional consequences and losses, including the refusal of entry visas from Canadian and U.S. embassies in Nigeria, as he was wrongly labeled as a fraudster and a fugitive.
In a significant development, the Federal High Court ruled Mr. Okedele on January 31, 2025 in proceedings: FHC/WR/CS/104/2024.
The court put aside its earlier judgment number: FHC/WR/110C/2019 and deleted his name from the charge sheet.
The court ruled that Mr. Okdel’s constitutional right to fair hearing was violated, infringed on his basic human rights, as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 1999.
The court further directed the EFCC to apologize in a widely circulated national newspaper, withdrawing the criminal charges against Mr. Okedele within 10 days of the judgment, and providing the court with proof of the publication.
However, in view of the EFCC’s previous actions, it remains uncertain whether the committee complies with the court’s order. The continued public dissemination of the allegations has caused ongoing difficulties to Mr. Okedele and his family.
A true copy of the certified court judgment has been made available at the EFCC offices in Benin and Abuja
The agency did not respond to court orders a few days after the judgment. ”
