A State High Court sitting in Awka, the Anambra State capital, Tuesday January 10, 2023 ordered the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) for Zone 13 Headquarters, Ukpo, Mr Abutu Yaro, to pay a sum of N10 million damages to Chukwuemeka Ekwueme, a Real Estate Developer.
Ekwueme had through his counsel, Mr Alex Ejesieme, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, filed a suit no. A/Misc 461/2022 which bothers on enforcement of his fundamental human right after being arrested and detained by the zonal police headquarters between December 14 and 28, 2022.
Defendants in the suit were AIG Yaro, Ms Nkiru Nwode (the Zonal Police Relations Officer, ZPPRO) Zone 13 and Emmanuel Awah, office of PRO Zone 13.
Delivering the judgement, Justice D. A. Onyefulu, also awarded the sum of N200,000 as cost of litigation in favour of the plaintiff, and an injunction restraining the police from further arresting, detaining, harassing or intimidating the plaintiff on the same matter but proceed with charges against him.
Speaking on the judgement, the counsel to the plaintiff, Mr Ejesieme recalled that his client (Ekwueme), was arrested and detained following his move to develop land at Oba International Airport, Idemili South Local Government Area.
According to him, police arrested Ekwueme who was the Chief Executive Officer of S. Bigman Multi Biz Concept, a Real Estate Company, based on a petition filed by Oba community but had held him in detention without prosecuting him since December 14, a situation he described as draconian.
He further recalled that the same court had on December 28, 2022 ordered an immediate release of the plaintiff following a bail application filed to that effect.
