By Ejekwu Chidiebere
“It is preposterous that a competent court of law is found to have given itself to the whims and caprices of the media. It is travesty, it is absolutely ridiculous although it is now common in places including Nigeria where the judiciary has become an instrument of political attack. It’s crass misconduct, it is barefaced robbery.”
That was the position of a London-based lawyer in an attempt to provide clarification in circumstances where the media are used by politicians, business men and agencies, to interfere in cases which are still “under judicial considerations”.
M.J. Numa & Partners LLP,, said to be acting in their capacity as legal counsel to Mr. Wilson Opuwei, have issued a formal public statement, based on their client’s express instruction, to address certain media publications allegedly attributed to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which reportedly created what the firm had described as “misleading, prejudicial, and legally inaccurate impressions regarding Mr. Opuwei’s professional integrity, and trying to trivialize or daint the true legal character of a matter currently pending before a court of “competent jurisdiction”.
The statement signed by Michael Johnthan Numa, SAN, on behalf of the firm, had recalled what he has called “a clear and reasoned judicial determination” by the High Court of Lagos State, presided over by His Lordship, Hon. Justice L. A. Akapo (as he then was, prior to his elevation to the Court of Appeal), in Suit No: LD/62455GCMW/2024, Prince Donatus Okonkwo v. Wilson Opuwei & Dateline Energy Services Limited. The Court according to the statement had “expressly held” that the subject matter of the dispute was purely civil in nature, “bordering on a claim for money had and received”, and which also never showed any disclosure of “criminal offence whatsoever”.
“This matter has been judicially determined to be civil in character, not criminal in nature,” Michael Numa stated, adding that “It is imperative that public discourse aligns with the subsisting ruling of the Court rather than speculative or sensational narratives that misrepresent the legal position.”
The firm according to the statement had emphasized that the Court’s ruling affirmed a fundamental and settled principle of law: that disputes arising from “commercial engagements, investment arrangements, or stalled business transactions” should exclusively be resolved through civil adjudication and commercial remedies, not through criminal enforcement mechanisms.
Mr. Opuwei the statement says, is currently serving as Chief Executive Officer of Dateline Energy Services Limited, holding directorship positions across a group of affiliated entities engaged in “strategic energy development initiatives within Nigeria’s hydrocarbons and infrastructure sectors.” It was against this backdrop that the firm has raised concern that “certain publications, attributed to or associated with the EFCC, have portrayed the matter as involving fraud or criminal wrongdoing, notwithstanding the Court’s express findings”.
“Our client has unwavering confidence in the integrity of the judicial process and will continue to submit himself fully to the authority of the Court,” Numa said, while cautioning against what he described as the growing and dangerous phenomenon of trial by media.
According to the statement, such reporting during the pendency of active proceedings risks undermining the authority and dignity of the Court, prejudicing the right of all parties to a fair, impartial, and independent adjudication, and creating public narratives untethered from judicial fact or legal determination.
The firm further noted that Mr. Opuwei has at all times conducted himself in strict deference to the rule of law, voluntarily submitted to the Court’s jurisdiction, and participated fully in the judicial process.
While expressing displeasure that this whole bout was coming “at a critical juncture when Mr. Opuwei and Dateline Energy Services Limited are approaching Final Investment Decisions on new and strategic energy projects, the statement warned that unsubstantiated allegations framed in criminal terms ‘extend beyond reputational harm, with the potential to erode investor confidence, distort market perception, and project uncertainty into Nigeria’s broader energy and investment ecosystem.”