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A Jos High Court Orders Police to pay N50 million naira to the
family of Dokotri as compensation for killing their son.
By Joseph A. Adudu
March 12, 2020.
A High Court sitting in
Jos the Plateau State capital, North Central Nigeria has ordered the Nigeria
Police to pay the sum 50 million Naira to the family of Victor Dokotri as
compensation for shooting and killing Henry Anthony Junior Dokotri in January,
2018 by the Special Anti Robbery Squad,{ SARS), a special unit of the force.
In
a suit No. PLD680/2018, the Applicant, Mr. Victor Dokotri, an uncle to the
deceased had approached the court for the enforcement of the right to life and
dignity to human person of the deceased provided by sections 33 and 46 of the
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and articles
2,3 and 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights ( Ratification and
Enforcement Act Cap, A 9 L. F. N 2004.
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| Pam, Counsel for the applicant |
Joined
in the suit as respondents were; Assistant Superintendent of Police ( ASP) John
Ugbaje, Inspector Edekin Aigbekiem, Inspector Rueben Deshi, Sergent Abobo Erin,
Corporal Christopher Adamu, the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector-General of
Police, the Commissioner of Police Plateau State Command and the Federal
Special Anti-Robbery, Plateau State as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th
and 9th respondents respectively.
Some
of the reliefs sought by the applicant were as follows:
An
Order directing the respondents to write a written apology to the applicant for
informing the whole world that Henry Anthony Junior Dokotri was shot and killed
by the respondents for smoking India hemp.
An
Order of the Honourable Court awarding N500million compensation to the
applicant against the respondents jointly and severally for the intentional
deprivation of the right to life of late Henry Anthony Junior Dokotri by the
respondents and a Perpetual injunction restraining the respondents by
themselves, their agents and privies and howsoever described from further
informing the whole world that Henry Anthony Junior Dokotri was shot and killed
by the respondents because he was smoking India hemp and engaged in a shoot-out
with the respondents among other reliefs.
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| Dusu, Counsel for the repondents |
In
his judgment, Justice Muhammed Suraj, relying on the testimony of Margaret
Clement, a star witness, found the first five respondents responsible for
shooting and killing of Henry Anthony Junior Dokotri and he so held. The judge
however, awarded N50 million naira to the applicant. Justice Suraj further
expressed his dissatisfaction over the attitude of the SARS for incessant
engagement in extra judicial killings.
Counsel
for the applicant, M D Pam Esq expressed satisfaction with the judgment adding
that indeed, judgment was served while PDW Dusu Esq said the court has passed
its verdict so she wouldn’t say anything until the judgment is studied.
Details of the judgment
in our hard copy billed to hit the Newsstand next week. Keep a date with us.
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