Posted by By DENNIS MERNYI, Abuja on
Respite came the way of Enugu State government on Wednesday as a Federal High Court, presided by Justice A. O. Faji ordered the immediate release of four of its top officials, who were arrested in Enugu at the weekend by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Respite came the way of Enugu State government on Wednesday as a Federal High Court, presided by Justice A. O. Faji ordered the immediate release of four of its top officials, who were arrested in Enugu at the weekend by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Those to be released are the Principal Secretary to Governor Chimaroke Nnamani, Mrs. Sylvia Onwubuemeli; Managing Director of the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation, Engr. Emeka Nnam; the corporation's Marketing Manager, Mr. Obiora Onugu and the head of its Estate Department, Mr. Valentine Nebo.
The order was made, pursuant to the motion for the enforcement of the detainees' fundamental human rights, which was moved by Chief Chris Uche (SAN).
The court also ordered the release of Barrister J. S. P. C. Nwokolo, chairman of Rainbow-net Limited, who was also arrested by the EFCC over the weekend.
Barrister Nwokolo had however, earlier been released by the EFCC on Sunday and had since returned to his home in Enugu .
Justice A. 1. Alagoa, also of the Federal High Court, Enugu, had, on Monday, ordered the release of the employees of Rainbownet Limited, Cosmo FM and Capital City Automobiles Limited, all of whom were arrested and detained by the EFCC after itsraid of the companies last Friday.
The court had also ordered that its order should operate as a stay of any further action on the matter by the EFCC.
The detained persons had sought their release and challenged the right of the EFCC to arrest and detain them when no allegation had been made by the commission against them and when no case had been brought in court against the companies for which they work, further to the EFCC's investigation of these companies since last January.
Two weeks ago, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja restrained the EFCC from re-arresting officials of the Enugu State government, who had earlier been arrested, interrogated and released by the commission at various times during the year. These officials argued that the EFCC should charge them to court if it found any wrongdoing on their part, instead of the current incessant practice of arresting and re-arresting them.
The persons affected by that order include Prince Sam Ejiofor, commissioner for local government affairs and Barrister. Peter Mba, commissioner for finance.