Justice Abdulazeez Anka of the
Federal High Court, Lagos has hands-off a fundamental rights case filed by
suspected kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, also known as Evans.
According to Justice Anka, the
case file would be returned to the Administrative Judge for further directive.
The judge had earlier heard the
case during the court’s long vacation and had adjourned until Aug. 29 for
judgment after parties argued it and adopted their addresses on Aug.16.
But the police through its
counsel David Igbodo said another lawyer, Henry Obiazi, who represented the
Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Nigeria Police when the case was
heard did so without authorisation.
The police prayed the court to
set aside all the purported arguments made by Obiazi and to set aside the
ruling it delivered on Aug. 16 in which he adjourned for judgment.
When the case came up before
another judge, Justice Chuka Obiozor during the long vacation, he held that the
case was no longer urgent.
Obiozor then returned the file to
the Chief Judge, Justice Adamu Kafarati for re-assignment to another judge.
The case was subsequently
re-assigned to Justice Babs Kuewemi.
However, Evans’ lawyer, Olukoya
Ogungbeje wrote the Chief Judge informing him that Anka had already adjourned
the case for judgment.
Based on the letter, the case was
again returned to Anka.
When the case came up before Anka
on Wednesday, he expressed displeasure that the case was returned to him when
the issue of judgment had been overtaken by events.
The judge said that since the
police had filed other applications, the earlier adjournment for judgment had
become void.
Anka added that even if he had
written the judgment earlier, it meant that a new one would be written.
In his fundamental rights suit,
Evans is claiming N300 million against the police as damages for alleged
illegal detention and rights violation.
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