L
LequteMan
Guest
Nigeria- A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Thursday heard an originating motion filed by an applicant, Mrs Ngozi Ugwu, suing on behalf of her seven-year-old niece.,
In the suit, she prayed the court to declare that the defilement of the infant, constituted a violation of her right to dignity of human person.
The respondents in the suit are: Kazeem Mohammed, 40, Tobi Daramola, 19, and James Anieskin, 19.
Also joined as respondents are: Csp. Lucy Abimbola (Area Crime Officer, Idimu Police Command), one Miss Anthonia, (Police Prosecutor of Court 6, Ikeja Magistrates' Court), and the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State.
The applicant is claiming N100 million each, against the first to third respondents as aggravated and exemplary damages for violating the infant's right to dignity of human person and freedom from torture.
She is also claiming N20 million against the first respondent, five million naira against the second respondent, and five million naira against the third respondent, as general damages.
In the originating motion, the applicant averred that the respondents were her neighbours at Greenland Estate, LASU-Isheri Road, Alimosho, Lagos.
She added that she lived in the area with her husband, her two kids and her niece who is an infant.
She also averred that sometime in January, she noticed blood stains on one of the infant's under pants.
The applicant added that on enquiry; she was shocked when her niece confessed to her that the first to third respondents had been defying her.
She said that the infant told her that while she (Ugwu) was away in Abuja, the first to third respondents paid frequent visits to their home, whenever they discovered that her husband had gone to the shop.
The applicant said that the respondents would threaten the infant with a knife, in order to have their way and would warn her never to reveal the incident to anyone.
"After much interrogation, with the infant, she said that the respondents came to put their "wee-wee" in her "bum-bum" each time my husband was away, and would buy her five alive juice and Gala beef roll.
"I immediately reported the incident to the Ikotun Police Station, which swung into action and arrested the third respondent, but the first and second respondents had already absconded.
"To my surprise, while police in Ikotun were still making frantic efforts to arrest the other respondents who were at large, a signal came from the Area 'M' Idimu Command, for the case to be transferred to that command.
"The respondents were later arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates' Court, after which the Prosecutor, one Miss Anthonia, applied that the infant be remanded at the Girls Correctional Centre, Idi-Araba,” Ugwu said.
She said that she did not know the surname of the prosecutor
"I was later informed that on their way to the centre, the prosecutor threatened the infant to change her story or be locked up in a room for five days, without seeing her family," Ugwu added.
The applicant, therefore, sought an order, directing the sixth respondent (Commissioner of Police), to restrain the fifth respondent (prosecutor), from taking part in the prosecution of the first to third respondents.
She also sought an order of perpetual injunction, restraining the fourth respondent (Idimu Area Crime Officer), from taking part in investigating the first to third respondents.
The case was adjourned to Feb. 12 for further hearing.
In the suit, she prayed the court to declare that the defilement of the infant, constituted a violation of her right to dignity of human person.
The respondents in the suit are: Kazeem Mohammed, 40, Tobi Daramola, 19, and James Anieskin, 19.
Also joined as respondents are: Csp. Lucy Abimbola (Area Crime Officer, Idimu Police Command), one Miss Anthonia, (Police Prosecutor of Court 6, Ikeja Magistrates' Court), and the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State.
The applicant is claiming N100 million each, against the first to third respondents as aggravated and exemplary damages for violating the infant's right to dignity of human person and freedom from torture.
She is also claiming N20 million against the first respondent, five million naira against the second respondent, and five million naira against the third respondent, as general damages.
In the originating motion, the applicant averred that the respondents were her neighbours at Greenland Estate, LASU-Isheri Road, Alimosho, Lagos.
She added that she lived in the area with her husband, her two kids and her niece who is an infant.
She also averred that sometime in January, she noticed blood stains on one of the infant's under pants.
The applicant added that on enquiry; she was shocked when her niece confessed to her that the first to third respondents had been defying her.
She said that the infant told her that while she (Ugwu) was away in Abuja, the first to third respondents paid frequent visits to their home, whenever they discovered that her husband had gone to the shop.
The applicant said that the respondents would threaten the infant with a knife, in order to have their way and would warn her never to reveal the incident to anyone.
"After much interrogation, with the infant, she said that the respondents came to put their "wee-wee" in her "bum-bum" each time my husband was away, and would buy her five alive juice and Gala beef roll.
"I immediately reported the incident to the Ikotun Police Station, which swung into action and arrested the third respondent, but the first and second respondents had already absconded.
"To my surprise, while police in Ikotun were still making frantic efforts to arrest the other respondents who were at large, a signal came from the Area 'M' Idimu Command, for the case to be transferred to that command.
"The respondents were later arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates' Court, after which the Prosecutor, one Miss Anthonia, applied that the infant be remanded at the Girls Correctional Centre, Idi-Araba,” Ugwu said.
She said that she did not know the surname of the prosecutor
"I was later informed that on their way to the centre, the prosecutor threatened the infant to change her story or be locked up in a room for five days, without seeing her family," Ugwu added.
The applicant, therefore, sought an order, directing the sixth respondent (Commissioner of Police), to restrain the fifth respondent (prosecutor), from taking part in the prosecution of the first to third respondents.
She also sought an order of perpetual injunction, restraining the fourth respondent (Idimu Area Crime Officer), from taking part in investigating the first to third respondents.
The case was adjourned to Feb. 12 for further hearing.