SIX officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Enugu are at the centre of a controversial remand warrant with which they used to detain and torture a former banker, Mr. Cornelius Ochi.The EFFC operatives involved in the alleged scandal investigated a case of corruption levelled against Ochi by a commercial bank.The operatives had arrested Ochi on the basis of the remand warrant dated March 28, 2011, which they claimed emanated from the Chief Registrar of the Enugu High Court, Dennis Ekoh.But Ekoh, whose official stamp was affixed to the disputed warrant, has denied knowledge of it, declaring that no proceeding of any such took place in any court in Enugu on that day.In an affidavit of facts he deposed to at the court, distancing himself from the purported court warrant, which was made available to The Guardian in Enugu, Ekoh expressed shock that the law enforcement officials could resort to such illegality.The victim was detained and tortured on allegations of corruption in the EFCC cell for two days.Ekoh said: 'On the 30th of March, 2011, my attention was drawn to a letter/complaint dated 29th March, 2011 from the law office of Sterling Attorneys concerning a remand warrant purportedly issued by me to the EFCC to remand one Mr. Cornelius Ochi in the custody of EFCC.'After going through the said letter and closer observation of the remand warrant dated March 28, 2011, I noticed that the said remand warrant was not issued or signed by me and did not emanate from my office.More so, the remand warrant bears no suit number. I am also aware that no person by the name of Cornelius Ochi or any other name was brought to me for remand by the EFCC on the said date.'Ekoh said he met the Head of Legal Section of the EFCC and denied authoring the remand warrant as well expressed shock that his signature and official capacity were used to commit the illegal act.Ekoh said the last time he signed a remand warrant for the EFCC was in 2008 'in my capacity as a Chief Magistrate and made it clear that I am not aware and did not sign the controversial remand warrant.'When contacted, EFCC's Public Relations Officer, Blessing Ijeoma, said: 'You don't expect us to react to such issue.'Meanwhile, Ochi has threatened to drag the six EFFC officials to court toenforce his fundamental human rights, which according to him was severely breached by the detention and torture meted to himby the operatives.In a notice of intention to sue, sent to the affected officers, he said it was borne out of the 'unlawful detention of his person on March 29 and 30 at the cell of the EFCC, Enugu Zonal Office without justification and on the strength of a spurious and forged remand warrant and a demand for apology.'He is also asking for N100 million as relief for damages suffered over the unlawful detention.
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