UPDATED: Court Awards N2m to Evan's Brother-in-Law Against the Police

 

The Federal High Court in Lagos has awarded N2million to Mr Okwuchukwu Obiechina, the brother-in-law of alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans.

 

The ruling was given on Monday by Justice Mohammed Idris who declared that Obiechina’s arrest and detention by the police was unconstitutional. Justice Idris had fixed today to deliver judgement in a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Obiechina.

 

In the suit filed on Tuesday last week, Obiechina and his wife, Nzube, had challenged their illegal detention by the police, claiming they had been in detention since June 2 owing to their relationship with Evans.

 

The couple had listed the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, the Nigeria Police and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) as co-respondents to the suit.

 

Justice Idris, however, ruled that Obiechina’s detention was unconstitutional, saying the remand order which the police claimed to have obtained from a magistrates’ court was invalid.

 

Similarly, the Lagos High Court sitting in the Igbosere area of Lagos Island fixed Friday for the arraignment of Evans and three others. The four persons would be arraigned on October 27 by the Lagos State government on fresh charges of conspiracy and attempted kidnap.