EDO “SEVEN” VIGILANTE: COURT AWARDS N350,000 AGAINST POLICE

A Benin High Court has awarded the sum of three hundred and fifty thousand naira(N350,000) against the police authorities for detaining seven members of the Edo State Vigilante without trial.

Delivering judgment in the fundamental human rights suit filed by their Counsel, Osarenren Matthias Obayuwana, the court held that the Vigilante members were arrested at the premises of the Edo State House of Assembly on 6th August 2020, detained for four days at the State C.I.D only to be transferred to the Force Headquarters, Abuja, where they were further detained for another two weeks without being arraigned before a competent court of jurisdiction.

Presiding Judge, Hon. Justice Efe Ikponmwoba, noted that though the police can arrest a suspect on grounds of reasonable suspicion to commit an offence, such suspect must be brought before a competent court of jurisdiction and failure to do so, amounts to a gross violation of his fundamental human rights.

The court observed that the Applicants made statement on the day they were arrested, to the effect that they were members of the Edo State Vigilante who were deployed to the premises of the Edo State House of Assembly to protect the government’s facilities, emphasizing that the police never investigated the claims, moreso, there was no need to have transferred them to Abuja, even as they were, at no time charged to court for the offence illegal possession of fire arms they allegedly committed.

The court, however, struck out Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 5 Benin, for wrongly joined in the suit.

Hon. Justice Efe Ikponmwoba, accordingly awarded the sum of fifty thousand naira in favour of each of the Vigilante members against the police.

The sum of ten thousand naira was also awarded against the police in favour of each of the seven Vigilante members.

Reacting to the judgment, Mr. Osarenren Matthias Obayuwana described it as victory for democracy.