The Federal High Court in Abuja has reportedly awarded the sum of ₦5million against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for posting the picture of a suspect, Mr. Nasiru Saidu Ali before trial.
A human rights lawyer, Mr Pelumi Olajengbesi made this disclosure while he was addressing journalists. Mr Olajengbesi, whose law firm challenged EFCC, for their habitual publication of the suspect's name on social media, without the suspect being convicted for the alleged crimes.
Mr Olajengbesi had kicked against the decision of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission's (EFCC), to publish images and names of individuals arrested for alleged crimes, even without those people being convicted by a court.
While delivering judgement,Justice John Okoro of the Federal High Court declared the action of EFCC as unconstitutional, noting that "they infringed upon Ali’s right to the presumption of innocence by posting his picture on social media without a conviction of guilt."
The court therefore awarded the sum of ₦5 million to Mr Ali and also directed that the Commission issue a public apology to Mr Ali.
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