The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has awarded N10 million in damages against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for defaming Olu Agunloye, former minister of power, through a publication linking him to a $6 billion fraud allegation.

Justice Peter Kekemeke, while delivering judgment on Wednesday, held that the anti-graft agency’s publication on its official website and X (formerly Twitter) handle was defamatory and that the commission failed to establish the truth of the claims made against Agunloye.

The judgment followed a N10 billion defamation suit filed by Agunloye against the EFCC over a publication titled “EFCC arraigns Agunloye over $6 billion fraud”.

Agunloye, through his counsel, Adeola Adedipe, SAN, argued that the publication portrayed him as a corrupt and fraudulent individual, thereby damaging his reputation.

Justice Kekemeke held that the publication contained elements of defamation, noting that it was made in a permanent form and specifically identified the former minister.

The court found that the EFCC failed to prove the accuracy of the allegations contained in the publication, adding that the criminal charge filed against Agunloye did not contain any allegation of fraud.

“Having gone through the charge in the criminal case against the claimant before an FCT High Court in Apo, there is nowhere in it that claimed fraud, contrary to the EFCC publication,” the judge held.

The court also faulted the testimony of the EFCC’s sole witness, Assistant Commissioner of Police Umar Babangida, who initially denied knowledge of the publication before later admitting that it originated from the commission’s media department….