The Federal High Court, Enugu, has fixed Dec. 8 to entertain a N10 billion suit instituted against UBA Plc and the EFCC by a member of the bank’s security staff.
Emeka Onoh filed the suit before the court to enforce his fundamental human rights allegedly breached by the anti-graft agency and the bank when they arrested and detained him in 2009 for alleged fraud.
Onoh told the court, presided over by Justice Dorothy Agishi, on Thursday that since he was released unconditionally in 2009, his bank accounts with the Diamond Bank and UBA had remained frozen.
He said he was also relieved of his appointment as a member of security staff with UBA Plc, 9th Mile branch, on the instructions of the Zonal Manager, one Mr Ebuta, on June 13, 2009 on account of the allegation.
In a motion argued by his counsel, Mrs Lucy Onuora, for the enforcement of his fundamental human rights, Onoh sought the leave of the court to compel the EFCC and UBA to de-freeze his accounts with the Diamond Bank and the UBA respectively.
He claimed that his fundamental rights were breached by his illegal arrest and detention for 45 days between July and August 2009 by the EFCC, leading to a loss of earnings.
In the application, Onoh asked the court to declare that the torture meted to him by the EFCC on mere suspicion breached his fundamental rights.
He sought a further declaration that stripping him naked and flying him to Lagos by the EFCC on the instructions of the zonal manager amounted to a flagrant abuse of his rights.
Onoh asked the court for an order to reopen his accounts and award him N10 billion as aggravated damages for physical torture, loss of earnings and general abuse of his fundamental rights.