Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court in Lagos has dismissed a fundamental rights suit instituted against the EFCC by Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju (a.k.a Bobrisky).
The suit alleges that the Commission breached his rights and seeks N200 million in damages.
In a judgment delivered on Thursday, 28 November, 2024, Justice Owoeye held that Bobrisky’s claims of encroachment of his rights lacked merit, with no credible evidence to justify the reliefs he sought from the court.
One of the reliefs sought was “an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Respondents from harassing, declaring him wanted, arresting, or detaining him whether by themselves, their officers, servants, agents…”
In another relief, Bobrisky prayed the court award the sum of N200 million against the EFCC as damages he allegedly suffered from the Commission’s activities regarding his arrest and trial.
After evaluating all the reliefs he sought, Justice Owoeye ruled that “having evaluated the evidence placed before this Court by the Applicant, it is evident that the Applicant has failed to provide credible evidence to justify the award of the declaratory and injunctive reliefs sought by him”.
The judge further stated, “In the final analysis, I hold the claims of violation of fundamental rights against the 1st and 2nd Respondents were not made out of the affidavit evidence placed before this Court. The Applicant’s claim against the 1st to the 2nd Respondents currently lacks merit and is liable to be dismissed. It is accordingly dismissed”.
The judge also refused to award any damage against the EFCC.
Bobrisky had dragged the EFCC and the National Assembly before the court but all the reliefs he sought were thrown out.
The EFCC initially arrested Bobrisky on 4 April 2024. His arrest eventually led to his six-month conviction by Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on 12 April 2024.