Court slams police N20m damage for asaulting a lawyer, Chukwuemeka Amaghiro

www.odogwublog.com reports that an Owerri high court on Wednesday, awarded 20 million naira damage against Nigeria police force for assaulting Owerri based lawyer Barr. Chukwuemeka Amaghiro in 2016.

Delivering  judgment, the presiding judge Justice K.A Orjiako said the respondents were found guilty of gross violation of the applicant’sright.Amaghiro had filed a suit of fundamental human right in a suit no SOW307 2016, challenging the Police service Commission, Nigerian Police Force, Commissioner of Police Imo State, OC D8 SARS IPO Bassy Ikpa for assaulting Amaghiro in 2016.

Orjiako further said that all evidence before him proved that the lawyer’s fundamental right was grossly violated.

It would be recalled that two lawyer  Barr. Chukwuemeka Amaghiro and Barr. EmekaIwuchukwu were assaulted by police officers when they went to visit their client Mrs. Keziah  Nwoha who was under police detention in 2016.

The judge said he decided to award the damage considering the reputation of the person assaulted and the provision of the law on human right violation.Orjiako further advised Nigeria police force to always respect human right while discharging their duties.It would also be recalled that the second lawyer Barr. Emeka Iwuchukwuwho was equally assaulted on the same issue ,he was awarded 10 million naira damage in December 6 ,2016 in Owerri high court 8 presided  by Justice E.F Njemanze.The counsel to the applicant, Barr. Soronnadi Njoku said that his clients decided to approach the court due to how they were manhandled by police officers on the instigation of the OC SARS D10 Mr. Emenike.

He said that the two lawyers visited the police to find out why their client was arrested and detained and to inform the police that the case their  client was detained for was pending in court.

“When the lawyers got to the police, the Investigating Police Officer Mr. Bassy Ikpa became hostile on the two lawyers.“The lawyers became helpless and decided to approach his superior, who later directed the officers to manhandle them”,  Njoku said .The judge however  said that he will enforce the two judgments together and promise to ensure that the monetary damage is paid to theapplicants.All the respondents and their lawyers were absent during the judgment.