Ikokwu 5: Court strikes out late Ikwunado’s family case

Ikokwu 5: Court strikes out late Ikwunado’s family case

Tuesday, March 17, 2020 6:22 pm


Chima: allegedly tortured to death by police

A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has struck out a fundamental human rights right suit filed by the family of late Chima Ikwunado and the Ikokwu 4 against Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police and Eagle Crack Commander, Benson Adetuyi.

The Court strike out the suit after counsel representing Ikwunado’s family, Princess Lawrence Chinyere, applied to withdrawT due to what she called errors in the application.

The lawyer said she moved for the withdrawal of the suit to correct the errors and refile the application.

However, Counsel to the Police, Isokari Egop, during the Court proceedings asked the court to dismiss the suit.

The Presiding Judge, Justice  J, Kolawole Omotosho after listening to the counsels in the matter, strike out the suit following the request  of the plaintiff’s lawyer, saying that the application does not seek justice for the dead, but for those alive.

The Judge, however, refused to grant the application filed by Counsel to the Police seeking to dismiss the case on the grounds that the counter affidavit was filed out of time.

Princess Chinyere refused to speak to journalists after the court proceedings.

Recall that the late Ikwunado, an auto-mechanic and the four motors spare parts dealers operating in Ikokwu market, Port Harcourt, were arrested by the Eagle Crack Squad of the Rivers Police Command in December last year.

The five men were who were arrested over allegation of theft of vehicles were detained and tortured by the members of the Police team.

Chima later died in Police detention.

The Police Command had claimed that the late Ikwunado died of “high blood” pressure in a ‘phantom’ autopsy report.

But it was later found out that no autopsy was  conducted by the Police before the verdict,


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