Court orders release of man held by police since December 14 without prosecution

The police arrested his client upon a petition by the community, but had held him in detention without prosecuting him since December 14, his attorney said.

News Agency of Nigeria • December 28, 2022

Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba Alkali

The Awka Division of the Anambra State High Court on Wednesday ordered the police to immediately release Chukwuemeka Ekwueme, a real estate developer, detained at their Zone 13 Headquarters, Ukpo, Anambra, since December 14.

The order followed an application for bail by Alex Ejesieme (SAN), counsel to Ekwueme in Suit No. A/Misc 461/2022 and Motion No. A /2050m/2022 filed against the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba.

Other defendants are AIG Abutu Yaro, the officer in charge of Zone 13; Nkiru Nwode, the police spokesperson in Zone 13 and Emmanuel Awah, an officer in the office of the public relations officer.

Mr Ejesieme had earlier told the court that Mr Ekwueme was arrested and detained because he set out to develop a piece of land at Oba International Airport area in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra.

He said the police arrested his client upon a petition by the community, but had held him in detention without prosecuting him since December 14.

The counsel argued that the police were acting in contempt of court with the continued detention of his client.

He added that the Magistrate’s Court at Ugbenu in Awka North Local Government Area of the state which approved his client’s arrest and detention vacated the order on December 20.

Mr Ejesieme described the police action as draconian and prayed the court to admit his client to bail pending the conclusion of investigation of the crime he allegedly committed.

He also sought an order to serve all processes in the suit on the respondents by serving the same on the officer in charge of the Legal Department, at the Zone 13 Headquarters of the police at Ukpo.

In his ruling, Hon. Justice D. A. Onyefulu, a vacation judge ordered the police to release the applicant on bail in the sum of N5 million and a surety resident within the jurisdiction of the court.

The judge also ordered the applicant not to interfere with police investigation while on bail.

“The court hereby admits the applicant to bail in the sum of N5 million with one surety in like sum.

“Court also orders service of all the processes in this suit on the respondents as prayed by counsel to the plaintiff,’’ Justice Onyefulu ruled.

He adjourned the case to January 4, 2023 for the motion on notice to be heard.

(NAN)

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