ILLEGAL ARREST AND TORTURE: AK High Court Slams .5 Million Naira Fine on Police

An Akwa Ibom State High Court, Sitting in Ikot Ekpene Judicial Division has awarded the sum of =N=500,000 (Five hundred thousand Naira) in favour of Mr. Nkereuwem Thomas Edet, (a.k.a. Napper) of Ikot Ambang, Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area, for gross violation of fundamental human right and denial of right to personal liberty and dignity of his person.

Delivering judgment in the case with suit number HT/FHR.36/2014, instituted against; Inspector Celestine Okpara (IPO-SCID-Uyo), DSP Julian Onita (OC, DS-SCID-UYO) and the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State; 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondent respectively, Justice Joy I. Unwana, declared; "that the arrest, torture and detention of the APPLICANT, NKEREUWEN THOMAS EDET  from the 4th day of July 2014, beyond the period allowed by law is unlawful and constitute a violation of APPLACANT'S right to personal liberty and right to dignity of his person."

The court also restrained the respondents from "further acts of violation of the applicant's right on account of the compliant in this suit." The Court awarded the sum of N50,000.00 (Fifty thousand Naira) against the 1st respondent in favour of Mr. Nkereuwem Edet as the cost of litigation.

Speaking with newsmen last week, Napper said he is glad that the Judiciary has lived up to expectation and has proven to remain the unbiased umpire and only hope for the common man, he particularly thanked God for seeing him through the travail and commended his legal team, friends and relatives for their support.

"I was always harassed, intimidated and molested by the police, particularly those from the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) headed by Julian; they would fabricate baseless and spurious allegations against me, arrest, torture and extort hundreds of thousands of Naira from me." he declared.

Edet, an Elder of The Mount Zion Full Gospel Church and Managing Director of St. Agnes Mortuary Services and St. Agnes Hotels Limited, both in Ikot Ambang, disclosed that he had been arrested, detained and tortured up to five times, by the police on trump up charges, said he had no choice but to seek redress in a competent court, to avoid the ceaseless invasion of his business premises and private abode and put a stop to the brutal extortion by the policemen whom he alleged took advantage of his physical disability.