Court orders EFCC to release Atuche’s wife

Posted by admin EFCC Politics Tuesday, May 10th, 2011

A Federal High Court in Lagos State on Monday ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to immediately release Elizabeth, the wife of a former Managing Director of Bank PHB, Francis Atuche.

Elizabeth had been in detention since May 3 when she was arrested by EFCC operatives in Lagos.

In her ruling on two separate fundamental human right applications filed by Atuche and his wife, Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako directed the EFCC to release Elizabeth immediately and produce her in court on May 11 (Wednesday).

Atuche had in the fresh suit filed by his lawyer, Anthony Idigbe (SAN), urged the court to restrain the EFCC from interfering with his liberty until such time that the suit was determined in order to preserve the sanctity of the court and his fundamental human right.

However, Justice Murtala-Nyako refused to grant an injunction to restrain the EFCC from further interfering with Atuche’s liberty. The court instead ordered that the anti-graft agency should be put on notice.

According to an affidavit in support of the suit deposed to by one Mike Okoh, Atuche averred that he had earlier been charged and arraigned before a Federal High Court in Lagos.

Atuche noted that he filed an objection against the charges preferred against him by the EFCC, which was dismissed, and that he had since appealed against the ruling.

-Punchwp_posts