Breaking: Court awards N40M damages against Okowa appointee over unlawful torture

The Delta State High Court sitting in Otu-Jeremi on Friday 22nd July, 2022 awarded the sum of forty Million Naira only as damages against the Director General of the Delta State Direct Labour Agency, DLA, Hon. Previous Ajaino for unlawful torture and breach of the fundamental rights of Mr Oscar Andrew.

The lead judgement delivered by justice T. O Uloho (Mrs) held that Hon. Ajaino and his wife as first and second respondents took laws into their hands for using community youths, vigilantes and police to torture and unlawfully detained the applicant Mr Oscar Andrew on trumped-up allegation.

The first respondent had accused the applicant of attempt to have affairs and intended to kidnap the second respondent which is the wife of the first respondent.

It would be recalled that sometime February 2022, the applicant was tortured, stripped naked by Mosoga youths on the directive of the first respondent and the sum of four hundred thousand naira was extorted from him before he was handed over to the police.

Justice T. O Uloho, in her judgement affirmed the argument of the applicant counsel Omes Ogedegbe Esq. to the effect the act of enticing a married woman did not constitute an offence and awarded Forty Million Naira (N40M)only as damages, three hundred and fifty thousand naira (N350.000) as cost of litigation.

She further restricted the respondents from further attempts to arrest and intimidate the applicant on the same subject matter.