By Sandra Umeh
Suspected billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike a.k.a. Evans, has dragged the Inspector General of Police, and three others before a Federal High Court in Lagos over alleged illegal detention.
Joined as respondents are the Nigeria Police Force, Commissioner of Police Lagos State, and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Lagos State Police Command.
In his fundamental rights suit filed by his lawyer, Mr Olukoya Ogungbeje, the suspected kidnapper is seeking a court’s order directing the respondents to immediately charge him to court if there is any case against him.
He is on the alternative, seeking an order, compelling the respondents to immediately release him unconditionally in the absence of any offence warranting a charge.
In the suit marked, FHC/L/CS/1012/2017, Evans is contending that his continued detention by the respondents since June 10, without a charge, or release on bail is an infringement on his fundamental rights.
He argued that the respondents ought to have charged him to court in accordance with the provisions of Sections 35 and 36 of the Constitution.
It was further argued that the alleged offence committed by the applicant (Evans) are correspondingly intertwined with the constitutional safeguards as provided under Sections 35 and 36 of the Constitution.
In a 27-paragraph affidavit in support of the motion deposed to by Evan’s father, Stephen Onwuamadike, it was averred that the applicant has been subjected to media trial without any court order by the respondents.
Onwuamadike further averred that the media trial and news orchestrated by the respondents have continued to generate reactions in both print and electronic media without his son being afforded fair hearing before a court of law.
The deponent also averred that since his son’s arrest, all his family members have been denied access to him while media practitioners have been granted unfettered access to him.
The new suit has not been assigned to any judge and no date has been fixed for the hearing.
– NAN
