A Federal High Court in Lagos, Monday, described freezing of the Chamber’s account of human rights lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome SAN, by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, as diabolical.

The trial judge, Justice Abdulazeeez Hanka, who upheld Ozekhome’s action, said the action of EFCC was illegal, unconstitutional and unorthodox, for freezing the lawyer’s Chambers account into which N75m was paid by Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state, as part payment of his professional fees for eight cases the lawyer is currently handling for the governor, his friends and aids.

This development makes it the seventh time in 12 months that Ozekhome has defeated the EFCC in a judgement.
In his judgment, Justice Hanka, wondered what right EFCC has to freeze a lawyer’s professional fees, despite it being paid from a Court -ordered defrozeen account.
Holding that he cannot sit on appeal over the judgement of justice Taiwo who defreezed the account, nor over the proceedings of the Court of Appeal to which EFCC has since appealed, Justice Hanka agreed with the submissions of Ozekhome, who appeared for himself, and dismissed the submissions of EFCC Counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo.

Vacating his earlier order obtained ex parte by the EFCC on February 7, 2017, the judge held that a party against whom an ex parte order has been made is perfectly entitled to have the order vacated and that such dues not amount to shielding his client from prosecution.
The court also held that there is evidence that the payment of the professional fees was not proceeds of crime or of money laundering.

After reviewing all submissions and authorities cited, the judge ordered the attached account defrozeen and made operational immediately.
Ozekhome praised the judge for exhibiting rare courage and upholding the rule of Law and the fundamental rights of Nigerian citizens, even in the face of clear intimidation of the judiciary and browbeating of judges.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/04/court-describes-efcc-freezing-ozekhomes-account-diabolical/

Everything under the dullard of Daura is diabolical

Buhari is cursed!

Lalasticlala

Never in the history of this country has we witnessed this level of lawlessness

An Executive that do not have regard for the rule of law, suppresses public opinion, indiscriminate human right abuses and sees the other arms of government as subordinate... All these obviously can only happen in a military regime.

Yet some wasted generation still support them sheepishly

Its ok

We Igbos suipport Mike Ozekhome.

Ozekhome is greater than ojukwu.
Ozekhome is greater than chinua achebe
Ozekhome is greater than nnamdi azikiwe
Ozekhome is greater than nnamdi kanu

Beress:
Buhari is cursed!

Lalasticlala

How can u talk to someones father like that. This shows u have no respect for ur own father. I pity ur generation

Buhari is diabolical, that's why he used juju to deceive professors and scholars into voting a NEPA certificate holder, or do you still think that omenka, passingshot, and other zombies support for the dullard normal

Let me just wait and see what some set of people would say

i have never come across such verdict from the law reports i have read so far.

impunity

EFCC needs to review its legal team. What an embarrassment.

there are always two sides to the coin! #deep is the matter# surface we see

Beress:
Buhari is cursed!

Lalasticlala

When you'll need him to tough it up he recoil into his shell, then come out to oppress little little ants. Tables always turn around. #Civil disobedience

ObikeNkem:
Ozeokhome is greater than ojukwu.

And Ojukwu is greater than Awolowo

Good for Democracy!

SeniorZato:

How can u talk to someones father like that. This shows u have no respect for ur own father. I pity ur generation

A Father that has no regard for human life.

Magu is nothing but Buhari's attack dog.... a toothless pitbull. Both Magu and Buhari are doomed. Judgement day is coming.

Beress:
Never in the history of this country has we witnessed this level of lawlessness

An Executive that do not have regard for the rule of law, suppresses public opinion, indiscriminate human right abuses and sees the other arms of government as subordinate... All these obviously can only happen in a military regime.

Yet some wasted generation still support them sheepishly

With comment like this, I'm tempted to ask if you were born two years ago?

Or it is just baseless hatred and needless sentiment that is fueling your reasoning?

allow MAGU/EFCC to do their work.

I hundred percent support fight against corruption but hate unconstitutional dragging of people's integrity to the mud.
I want to summarize by asking all Nigerian youths who believe in our dare nation to be different and work hard in transformation of Nigeria.

Dayuuuum

It is sad that EFCC has become a tool of subjugation and political intimidation

We are seeing the emergence of a new form of dictatorship. One whose core whip for stifling dissent is the police. This government has mastered the art of manipulation of public opinion by using corruption to fight corruption, shouting change while enshrining nepotism and tribalism as its modus operandi

SeniorZato:

How can u talk to someones father like that. This shows u have no respect for ur own father. I pity ur generation

When "someones father" was freezing poeple`s account upandan...did you caution him? did you...make I no kill you with my bare hands

.

Buhari is a certified terrorist