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Quadri Yahya
An Ogun State High Court has ordered prompt detainment of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 2 Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos and Superintendent Tijani Taofiq for contempt and infringing on human right.
The top officers were said to have infringed on the right of a Chinese national, Chen Zheng by arresting and detaining him for an alleged criminal offence.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that the Police officers had disobeyed the court order to pay N500,000 as damages and also pay N50,000 in favour of the Chinese national.
PLATFORM TIMES also gathered that the international passport of of the Chinese man has been withheld by the Police men.
PLATFORM TIMES however reports that Justice Olugboyega Ogunfowora of the Igbesa High Court on Wednesday, ordered that the top officers be detained at the Ibara Correctional Centre, Abeokuta until the property of the Chinese man is given back.
Recall that in his judgement on June 9th, 2020, Justice Ogunfowora ordered release of the applicant’s international passport with No.EB4555829.
He argued that the refusal to release the passport and also pay the fine as ordered by the court is a contempt which is punishable under the Nigeria Constitution.
In his final judgement, Justice Ogunfowora ordered that the officers be kept in custody until the international passport is being released.
Speaking with journalists after the judgement, the counsel to the applicant, Seun Akinbiyi, SAN, has commended the court for its upright pronouncement.
Akinbiyi added that such judgement will make the people believe in the judicial system as the last hope of the common man.
He said: “The summary of the antecedent is that, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 2 as well as on Superintendent of Police, Tijani Taofiq, who is now in Eleweran, Abeokuta. They have been convicted to prison by virtue of the order of the court because they did not carry out the order of the court.
“It is very significant that this is being done for the courage of the court, his lordship, and it is good for the sanctity of the court. We are very happy for that.
“It is also important for the sake of our client whose international passport has been detained for almost 3 years. At least, I believe that with that alone, the court has decided that they are imprisoned until the international passport is being released.”
PLATFORM TIMES further reports that the senior advocate added that his chamber will see to the implementation of the judgement to the core.
“By the grace of God, we are going to see it that the order is carried out. That is, the imprisonment of the AIG and the Superintendent. We will see it to the end.”
The Chinese man, Zheng who is the Interpreter and Sales Manager of Hand in Hand Industry Nigeria Limited, expressed his worry that the trial which commenced in 2020 has taken too long.
Zheng, however, added that that he won the case was appreciated
Zheng said: “I just want to say I win the case. Superintendent of Police, Tijani Taofiq refused to return my international passport since 2020. I am not happy with it.”
