By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Founder and chief executive of Aiteo Group, Mr Benedict Peters, has described the court ruling against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as a welcome development.
This week, a Federal High Court held that the EFCC cannot just declare any person as wanted without first obtaining a court order or charging them with an offence.
The court ruled that by declaring Mr Peters ‘wanted’, the anti-graft agency had acted illegally and unconstitutionally, and violated the businessman’s right to personal liberty and the right not to be subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment.
Reacting to this judgement, Mr Peters said, “This ruling is an important next step in the legal process to clear my name.
“I have not committed nor have I been charged with any crime. I am confident that I and the Aiteo Group will be exonerated of any and all wrongdoing by the Courts in the coming weeks and months.”
In a statement issued after the ruling, Mr Peters said further that, “Aiteo is one of the leading indigenous energy companies in Africa and employs more than 300 Nigerians.
“I look forward to once again focussing all my efforts on growing our business and supporting sports development in Nigeria and across Africa, such as the CAF Awards, the Nigerian national football team and the Federation Cup.”
On February 22, 2018, Aiteo Group secured an interlocutory injunction from the Federal High Court restraining the EFCC and the Attorney General of the Federation from interfering or obstructing its business operations.
The interlocutory injunction restrains the EFCC and the Attorney General from embargoing or freezing Aiteo’s accounts or obstructing its activities in any way whatsoever.
It also prevents the EFCC and the Attorney General from enforcing a restraint order awarded by the UK Crown Court on October 19, 2017.
Adedapo Adesanya