Court awards N10 million damages to Onitsha trader

A High Court sitting in Ihiala, Anambra State has ordered two policemen attached to Zone 9, Umuahia, a businessman Mr. Joachim Obiagwu and a legal practitioner Mr. Anayo Ambrose Emejuo, both based in Onitsha, to pay N10.25 million damages to Emmanuel Ebirim, a trader at the Electronics International Market, Onitsha.

The awarded sum covers cost for unlawful arrest, detention and illegal execution of properties to the trader.

The court, presided over by Justice Ifeanyi Nweze in his judgment yesterday granted Ebirim, a tenant the sum of N10.25 million damages in his application to enforce his fundamental rights, saying that any person unlawfully arrested and detained was entitled to compensation.

Ebirim had gone to the High Court to challenge the infringement on his rights and filed a case of fundamental rights, claiming the sum of N500 million as special, general and compensatory damages against the respondents.

But the court awarded him N10 million for damages and N25, 000 as cost.

Nweze also ruled that Ehirim’s arrest of and detention in Onitsha by the Supol Obiageli Anikwue and Corporal Esua Okponghomen, the fourth and fifth was a violation of the applicant’s fundamental rights.