According to The PUNCH, the senior police officers disobeyed the court order that asked them to pay N500,000 and N50,000 as damages in favour of a case involving a Chinese national, Chen Zheng.
An Ogun State High Court has ordered the prompt detention of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 2 Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos and Superintendent Tijani Taofiq for contempt.
According to The PUNCH, the senior police officers disobeyed the court order that asked them to pay N500,000 and N50,000 as damages in favour of a case involving a Chinese national, Chen Zheng.
The officers had arrested and detained the Chinese man for a criminal offence and later seized his passport.
Zheng is the Interpreter and Sales Manager of Hand in Hand Industry Nigeria Limited.
Justice Olugboyega Ogunfowora of the Igbesa High Court on Wednesday ordered that the top officers should be detained at the Ibara Correctional Centre, Abeokuta until the property of the Chinese man was returned.
In his judgement on June 9th, 2020, Justice Ogunfowora ordered the release of the applicant’s passport with No.EB4555829.
The Justice argued that the refusal to release the passport and also pay the fines as ordered by the court is contempt, which is punishable under the Nigerian Constitution.
In his judgement, Ogunfowora ordered that the officers be kept in custody until the release of the applicant’s passport.
Speaking with newsmen after the judgement, the counsel for the applicant, Seun Akinbiyi, SAN, commended the court for the pronouncement.
Akinbiyi added that such a judgement will make 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 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 about that.
“It is also important for the sake of our client whose international passport has been detained for almost three years. At least, I believe that with that alone, the court has decided that they are imprisoned until the international passport is being released.”
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria added that his chamber will see to the implementation of the judgement to the core.