By Kamsi Anayo
A High Court sitting in Awka, the Anambra State capital has awarded N10m damages against the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Mr Abutu Yaro, in charge of Zone 13 Police Headquarters, Ukpo, Anambra for illegal detention of Chukwuemeka Ekwueme, a Real Estate Developer.
Justice D. A. Onyefulu, a vacation judge who delivered the judgment on Tuesday also awarded the sum of N200,000 as cost of litigation in favour of the plaintiff.
Onyefulu also gave an injunction restraining the police from further arresting, detaining, harassing or intimidating the plaintiff on the same matter but proceeded with charges against him.
Alex Ejesieme (SAN) counsel for the plaintiff had filed a suit on enforcement of fundamental human right action against Yaro and others in suit no.Suit no. A/Misc 461/2022 over the arrest and detention of Ekwueme by the Police ZHQ between December 14 and December 28.
Other defendants in the suit were Nkiru Nwode, Zonal Police Relations Officer(ZPPRO) Zone 13 and Emmanuel Awah, office of PRO Zone 13.
Ejesieme said Ekwueme, who was the Chief Executive Officer of S. Bigman Multi Biz Concept, a Real Estate Company was arrested and detained in relation to his move to develop land at Oba International Airport, Idemili South Local Government Area.
He said the police arrested him based on a petition by the community but had held him in detention without prosecuting him since December 14, a situation he described as draconian.
Recall that the same court had on Dec. 28, 2022 ordered an immediate release of the plaintiff following a bail application by his counsel, Ejesieme.
