Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has vowed to contend the ruling of a Federal High Court in Abuja which awarded N40 million in damages to the Chocolate City Entertainment boss, Audu Maikori, even up to the Supreme Court if need be.
Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has vowed to contend the ruling of a Federal High Court in Abuja which awarded N40 million in damages to the Chocolate City Entertainment boss, Audu Maikori, even up to the Supreme Court if need be.
Justice John Tsoho, on Friday, while ruling on a violation of fundamental human right suit filed by Mr. Audu, ordered the Kaduna State governor, Inspector-General of Police, Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, and its Attorney General to pay N40 million to the applicant for his unlawful arrest and detention.
The Kaduna State governor in reaction to the judgment said, “our lawyer will study the judgment and take the appropriate steps. We will appeal up to Supreme Court if necessary."
He added that the judgment will not in any way stop the ongoing criminal trial the state had earlier filed against the Mr. Maikori.
Ruling on the case, the judge said, “I hold the respectful view that by virtue of his act, the applicant made himself liable to be deprived of his personal liberty.”
The judge said that an arrest made by the police upon reasonable suspicion of commission of a crime is lawful. He said the judgment went in favor of the applicant in view of the fact that the police, in carrying out its duty, violated Mr. Maikori’s fundamental rights.
“This judgment is without prejudice to offenses that the applicant is standing trial for. The judgment will serve as a lesson to law enforcement agencies, they should discharge their duties in accordance with constitutional requirements, and not discharge their duties with impunity,” he held.
On May 5, 2017, Mr. Maikori filed a suit in an Abuja Federal High Court, asking to be awarded N21 billion as damages done to him and his business.
The Chocolate City boss was arrested in March and transferred to Kaduna where he was detained for four days.
This preceded an earlier arrest in February on account of a social media post that claimed five students of College of Education were killed in southern Kaduna. The story later turned out to be false to which Mr. Maikori apologized and blamed his driver for wrongly informing him.
