A middle-aged man, Mr. Igoni-wari Rowland Malafakumo, has dragged the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, the State Police Command and others to court for alleged unlawful arrest after he was paraded naked on the street, three years ago. Malafakumo, among other reliefs, is seeking damages totalling N1billion from the Ministry of Environment, Rivers State Government, Commissioner of Police, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, among others.
The sum, according to his lawyer, is for the degrading and inhuman treatment meted out to him, mental torture, illegal detention and humiliation inflicted on him by the defendants.
The victim is praying the court, through his counsel, F.U. OKORO ESQ, to declare that his arbitrary arrest, beating, stripping naked, being paraded without clothes before members of the public without any known offense, is illegal and unconstitutional.
Arguing that the respondent’s brutal attacks violate the applicant’s fundamental right to liberty and dignity of his person, he said, “Compensation would also serve as deterrent to other law enforcement agents and government officials that they cannot take law into their hands.”
Speaking with The Nation in Port Harcourt, the victim, Malafakumo expressed confidence that justice would be done eventually on the matter.
Source: OgoniNews
