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Police Legal Department Is Ignorant And Should Be Overhauled, Alleged Kidnap Kingpin Evans' Lawyer Taunts

In an interview outside the courtroom, Evans' lawyer slammed the Nigerian police and its officers, saying they were scared.

The controversial lawyer representing billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike (aka Evans), says the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) legal department should be overhauled as it seems "they do not know anything."

Mr. Olukoya Ogungbeje said this in the premises of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, after the hearing of the fundamental human right suit filed by Evans against the NPF, the Inspector General of Police, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and the and Lagos State Commissioner of Police.

In an interview outside the courtroom, Evans' lawyer slammed the Nigerian police and its officers, saying they were scared.

"We were in court, they argued their case, and they goofed. We came this morning, they are afraid of judgment. Who is fooling who?"

Continuing, he said, "They cannot approbate and reprobate in law. The police legal section needs to be overhauled. They don't know what they are doing. They don't know anything. We are the applicant and we are ready for judgment," he declared.

Evans had sued the police apparatus and its officers both at the national and state levels for unjustly holding him in detention. The man who is reputed to have made billions of naira from kidnapping is also asking for N300 million in damages.

At the last hearing, Justice Abdulaziz Anka adjourned the case for judgment till today, August 29, but an application filed by the police inhibited the scheduled judgment.

However, at the resumption of trial today, Justice Ankasaid he would not give judgment because of a pending application.

“The question is, can I still go ahead when there are still motions before me and the fact that the applicant refused service?” he asked.  "I’ve read the case file, I’ve seen the processes attached inclusive of a court order.”

The police had approached the court with an application seeking an order to set aside the court's ruling that adjourned Evans fundamental human right suits for judgment today.

David Igbodo, the counsel for the police and the IGP, appearing in court for the first time, contended that Evans had not duly served them the originating summons, hence the need for an order to allow the 1st and 2nd respondents to serve their counter-affidavit.

Mr. Igbodo, also a commissioner of police in the Legal Department, argued that the court is duty bound to ensure fair hearing to all the parties, adding that they were now ready to move their application.

“This matter is very important to the IG,” he said, adding that before the 25th (of September), Evans would be charged to court.

The NPF also disowned Henry Obiazi, the lawyer who represented the 1st and 2nd respondents in court during the last hearing, saying he had “acted out of permission".

Ogungbeje, opposing the application, said the intention was to arrest the judgment. 

“When judgment is slated, no application can stall judgment,” he stated. “It is our strong view to the learned counsel to the first and second respondents that his application is calculated to arrest the judgment of the court".

By mutual consent, the case was adjourned to September 5.

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