Court Awards N10m Against Army For Assaulting Lawyer In Ondo

A Federal High Court sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital at the weekend, awarded a N10 million damages against the Nigerian Army for assaulting a lawyer.The legal practitioner, Zerubabel Omoyele was unlawfully detained and assaulted during a bid to sustain evidence of brutal assault meted out to his client, Joseph Omoranmowo.

In the suit No. FHC/AK/CS/69/2013 and filed by Omoyele’s counsel, Tope Temokun, the Nigerian Army, the former Nigerian Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejirika, Commanding Officer, 19 Battalion, Naquora Barracks, Okitipupa, Ondo State, Captain M.C Ndubuisi and Hasan Habila were joined as respondents.

According to the counsel to the victim, Temokun said the incident occurred on March 11, 2013 in Okitipupa, Omoyele’s client, Omoranmowo was unlawfully detained in the military cell and he had been ripped open in the head with a bottle of McDowell drink after the beating of his life by one Captain M.C Ndubuisi and Hassan Habila, both military officers at the Naquora Barracks, Okitipupa local government area of the state.He explained further that trouble started between him and the soldiers when he invited a photographer to take shots of his client Omoranmowo, who had been wounded on the head.

culled from Leadership