The Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday awarded N10m in damages against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for defaming a former Minister of Power, Dr Olu Agunloye.
Justice Peter Kekemeke, in a judgment delivered in a N10bn suit instituted by Agunloye, held that the anti-graft agency’s publication titled, “EFCC arraigns Agunloye over $6bn fraud,” was false and defamatory.
The former minister had sued the commission through his counsel, Adeola Adedipe, alleging that the publication on the EFCC’s website and X handle portrayed him as a corrupt and fraudulent person and damaged his reputation.
Delivering judgment, Justice Kekemeke held that the publication contained all the ingredients of defamation, noting that it was in a permanent form and expressly identified Agunloye.
The judge held that the EFCC, being an investigative agency and not a news organisation, knew that Agunloye was not being prosecuted for a six billion dollars fraud.
Consequently, the court declared the publication on the commission’s official website and X handle false and defamatory.
Justice Kekemeke ordered the EFCC to retract the publication and publish a public apology on its website and in two national newspapers.
The court also granted a perpetual injunction restraining the commission from further publishing defamatory statements against the former minister and awarded N10m damages in his favour.