An Enugu State High Court, presided over by Justice C.O. Ajah, has ordered the state Commissioner of Police and Deputy Superintendent of Police, Chidobe Ekeleme to pay the sum of N20 million for violating the right to life of the late Chika Chukwu Onwe.
The ruling stems from the murder of Onwe while in police custody, which occurred without trial and in a manner that lacked due process.
Advertorial
Onwe was arrested in 2019, along with Izuchukwu Ani, at Agbani during a police operation following a cult clash, with suspicions of their involvement in a secret society.
They were taken to the anti-cult police unit, where they were detained and denied bail.
From the time of their arrest, Onwe and Ani were neither presented in court for trial nor granted access to their families.
Plaintiffs’ counsel, Mr. Chukwunonso Ogbe informed the court that Onwe’s mother, Confidence Nkechi, and uncle, Anayo Ume, made numerous attempts to obtain information about his whereabouts, all of which were unsuccessful.
“They were continually rebuffed by the police,” he stated.
In pursuit of justice for Onwe, his family escalated the matter to the state’s Police Brutality and Extra-Judicial Killing unit.
Advertorial
However, they noted that the findings of the panel have remained confidential.
In his ruling, Justice Ajah concluded that the ongoing disappearance of Onwe following his arrest constituted a violation of the right to life, as protected under Section 33(1) of the Nigerian Constitution.
He ordered the police to produce Onwe, dead or alive, without further delay.
Advertorial
Additionally, the court mandated the police to issue a written apology to Onwe’s mother, Nkechi, and publish same in two national newspapers for violating the young man’s right to life.
