
Premium Reporters
March 1, 2025 at 01:05 PM
*Court Clears Julius Oluwafunmisho Okedele of Cybercrime Charges, Orders EFCC to Apologize*
A High Court in Warri has overturned cybercrime charges against Julius Oluwafunmisho Okedele, a bureau de change operator. The court ruled that Okedele's constitutional right to a fair hearing was violated when he was included in a case without his knowledge or representation. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had listed him as a fugitive despite concluding there was no basis for charges after his cooperation in an investigation.
The court ordered the EFCC to issue a public apology in a widely circulated national newspaper, retracting the criminal accusations within 10 days. This move aims to rectify the severe damage to Okedele's reputation, which led to visa denials from Canada and the U.S. due to mistaken labeling as a fraudster and fugitive. The EFCC has yet to respond to the court's directive.
