By PETER ANOSIKE

Arc. Dr. Oyinmiebi Bribena, the Chief Executive Officer, Baraza Multipurpose Co-operative Society Ltd and CEO, Bliss Multinational Perfection Ltd., has raised the alarm over the claim that judgement in SUIT NO. FHC/YNG/CS/125/2022 BETWEEN BLISS MULTINATIONAL PERFECTIONS LIMITED & ARC. DR. OYINMIEBI BRIBENA V. ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION was given on September 4, 2024.

In a statement issued on Saturday and personally signed by him, Bribena faulted the claims contained in the press statement of Dele Oyewale, Head, Media and Publicity of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with regard to the concluded suit at the Federal High Court which sat at Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

According to him, EFCC clearly misled the public in their publication as they were well aware of the suit and judgment was delivered on the 22ndday of March, 2024 and not the 4thday of September, 2024 adding that the anti-graft agency also knew that they were not within time to appeal the said judgment.

Furthermore, he said that the case commenced on the 7thday of June, 2022 and concluded on the 22ndday of March, 2024 with judgment delivered on the 22ndday of March, 2024 in favour of BLISS MULTINATIONAL PERFECTIONS LIMITED & ARC. DR. OYINMIEBI BRIBENA.

He said that with regard to the above referenced suit, during the entire proceedings the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was duly represented by their staff and counsel, M. T. Iko, Esq and E. K. BAKAM, Esq of their Port Harcourt Zonal Office.

According to him, arguments for and against the application were taken and heard by the Court and on the 22ndday of March, 2024 the learned trial judge delivered judgment in the suit in favour of BLISS MULTINATIONAL PERFECTIONS LIMITED & ARC. DR. OYINMIEBI BRIBENA.

He said that In the said judgment, learned judge “perpetually restrained” the EFCC from seizing properties belonging to Bliss Multinational Perfections Limited and Biribena.

“The judge also declared the seizure and sealing of properties belonging to Bliss Multinational Perfections Limited and Biribena by the EFCC as unlawful,” Bribena said.

The court, according to him, further described as unlawful the instructions given to his bankers by the EFCC to place a post-no-debt lien or freeze on he said that is accounts.

The EFCC was restrained from “inviting, harassing, arresting, detaining, threatening to arrest, or detaining the Plaintiffs as a result of the civil dispute between Baraza Multipurpose Co-operative Society Limited and its members, or on matters arising from the registered business objects of the co-operative society,” the statement reads in part.

He said that the sum of N10,000,000 was awarded as exemplary damages against the EFCC for the unlawful seizure and attachment of properties belonging to Bliss Multinational and Biribena.

According to him, it is indeed sad that an organization such as the EFCC will come out to the public to distort the facts or they are clearly not thorough enough to gather the facts correctly before going to the public with information which is clearly filled with lies.

He said that for the avoidance of doubt, all proceedings of this case are public documents whose Certified True Copy (CTC) can be applied for by the general public.

According to him, the situation is even sadder considering the fact that before form 48 (Notice of Consequence of Disobedience of Court Order) was issued against the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, a letter was written to the Executive Chairman intimating him of the case and the need to obey a valid court order and the said letter was received.

“It is very disappointing for the anti-graft agency to describe form 48 (Notice of Consequences of Disobedience of Order of Court) as a 4thSeptember 2024 Court Judgement.

“Bliss Multinational Perfection Limited was never under any investigation by the EFCC and at no time was there any letter of invitation extended to Bribena with regard to the issues affecting BARAZA Multipurpose Co-Operative Society Limited, a Co-Operative Society which is governed by the Nigeria Co-Operative Societies Act,” he concluded.