A legal battle is brewing between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and a law firm, O.J. Aboje & Co., which has demanded the immediate removal of photographs and identities of two of its clients from the anti-graft agency’s social media platforms, insisting they remain innocent until proven guilty.
In a petition addressed to EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, the firm accused the commission of violating the constitutional rights of Mrs. Folasade Oketope, Chairperson of the Ad-Hoc Committee for the Sale of Federal Government Houses in Abuja, and Mr. Mohammed Kabir Usman, an FCT Administration official seconded to the committee.
The duo’s photographs were published by the EFCC after they were arraigned before the FCT High Court on July 13 over alleged irregularities involving disputed federal government properties.
But the lawyers argued that the criminal proceedings were initiated while a separate civil suit over the ownership and sale of the properties was still pending before another FCT High Court.
In the July 27 petition, the law firm slammed the EFCC for allegedly branding its clients as criminals before any court verdict.
“We are befuddled by the conduct of the Commission… publishing the faces and names of our clients… when they have not been found guilty by any court,” the petition read.
The firm challenged the EFCC to explain whether it would apologise and withdraw the publications if the defendants are eventually discharged by the court.
“Would your Commission tender an apology and retract the offending publications when our clients are ultimately adjudged innocent?” the lawyers queried.
They urged the anti-graft agency to immediately pull down the publications from all its platforms, arguing that allowing them to remain online undermines the constitutional presumption of innocence and could prejudice ongoing judicial proceedings.
According to the lawyers, the EFCC should only publicise the identities of the defendants if they are eventually convicted.
The firm maintained that removing the publications would uphold the rule of law, protect the integrity of the court process and safeguard the constitutional rights of the accused pending the outcome of the trial.
