By Alphonsus Nweze
Federal High court sitting in Awka, the Anambra State capital, has ordered Isuofia Micro Finance Bank Ltd and Police to pay the sum of #2,200,000 (Two Million, Two Hundred Thousands Naira) to Ohadugha Gloria Chizara, a nursing mother for unlawful arrest and detention with her six months old baby at Okpoko Police cell.
The case with suit No: FHC/ Awka / CS/ 121 /2022 was between Ohadugha Gloria Chizara, the applicant and Isuofia Micro Finance Bank Ltd, Nwafor Okechukwu, Nwoke Ifeoma, Commissioner of Police Anambra State, Ugochukwu Ugbo,the Divisional Police Officer Okpoko and Inspector Chinelo Okechi ( I.P.O) as respondents.
Counsel for the applicant, F.N Asogwa ESq of His Grace Chambers in her application of fundamental rights, had prayed the court for an order for the respondents to pay her client the sum of (N100,000,000) One Hundred Million naira as a compensation as well as general damages for “violating her fundamental rights to life, dignity of human persons, right to personal liberty and freedom of movement from June 22, 2022, till June 24, 2022, at Okpoko Police cell in Anambra State.
She also prayed the court that the respondents should pay #50,000,000 ( Fifty Million Naira) to her client as exemplary damages for “violating, infringing and breaching her client fundamental rights to life”.
The counsel also asked that the respondents should be restrained with his privies agents or cohorts from “violating, infringing and breaching her client’s fundamental right to life, dignity of the human persons, right to personal liberty and freedom of movement as enshrined in Nigeria constitution among other reliefs.
Delivering judgment in the matter the presiding Judge, Justice F. I. Riman, directed the Police, the bank, Nwafor Okechukwu, and Nwoke Ifeoma to pay the nursing mother the sum of N2m
The Judge also ordered the respondents to pay two hundred thousand naira (N200,000), as examplary damages for violating, infringing and breaching the applicant’s fundamental rights from June 22, 2022 to June 24, 2022 at Okpoko Police Station where he was detained.
The court equally granted an injunctions restraining the respondents, his privies, agents or cohorts from violating, infringing and breaching Chizara’s fundamental rights to life, dignity of human persons, rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement as eshrined in 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The applicant, Chizara was detained over a loan transaction which has not even been determined, but she has been servicing the loan not withstanding.
