Judgment day comes ever closer in the ₦10 billion fundamental rights suit filed by a limited liability company Aiteo Group and three of its officials against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as the federal high court in Lagos adjourned the case to September 27, 2018 for judgment.

Recall that Aiteo Group, the multi-billion Naira energy conglomerate owned by society moneybag Benny Peters has gone on the offensive in its ongoing battle with the EFCC and federal government over alleged corruption charges slapped on its head honcho Peters and several other top shots in the company.

The applicants Tunde Akinpelu, Ewariezi Useh and Barrister Oladele Awonuga, along with Aiteo had fingered the EFCC Deputy Director of Operations Iliyasu kwarbi and Attorney General, of the Federation as the respondents and chiefs culprits who subjected them to gross abuse and dehumanizing treatment thereby trampling on their fundamental human rights.

According to the sworn affidavit signed by Barrister Oladele Awonuga and obtained by The Lagos Times, the EFCC had on May 9, 2016 informed Aiteo Group through a letter that its founder and CEO Benedict Peters was the subject of an ongoing investigation and should be made available for questioning. Peters was however out of the country at that point and the company informed the anti graft agency that he would honour their invitation whenever he returns.

The statement further claimed that on June 2, 2016 EFCC in flagrant disregard for civilized practice, and without a prior warrant of search or arrest, invaded the business premises of Aiteo company at 5/7 Dockyard Road Apapa, Lagos State and summarily arrested Tunde Akinpelu and Ewariezi Useh. The two of them were illegaly used as bait to lure Benny Peters to the premises of the EFCC before they were later released.

Consequently, the applicants are praying the court to not only declare that the invasion of their office and physical abuse and harassment they suffered in the hands of EFCC agents are unconstitutional and gross violation of their fundamental human rights but to also restrain them and their agents from further arresting or detaining them.

The EFCC however filed a counter affidavit denying that its agent carried out any unlawful invasion of Aiteo premises or arrested its officials. The agency countered that in the course of its investigation into a $300m money laundering case involving former petroleum minister Diezani Allison-Madueke it wrote several letters asking Benny Peters to make himself available to assist with their investigations. The founder of Aiteo allegedly promised to present himself on several dates, none of which he has honoured.

They further averred that, left with no choice, they approached a magistrate court in Ikeja and obtained a warrant of arrest against Benny Peters.

The anti graft agency therefore urged the presiding judge Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo to throw out the suit in grounds that it lacks merit and amounts to delaying tactics by the applicants in their bid to obstruct the course of justice.