18th March, 2021
By Okafor Ofiebor/ Port Harcourt
A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has ordered the police to pay the sum of N20 million to Chinelo Odioakosa-Mmakwe, the proprietor of Tender Life Initiative Foundation.
Odiakosa – Mmakwe had dragged police to court after she was paraded in Port Harcourt in February last year for allegedly running an orphanage home and a baby factory.
She was paraded alongside some of her staff by policemen attached to the disbanded Eagle Crack unit of Rivers Police Command.
But she denied the allegations and also tendered documents tendered to exonerate herself and her orphanage from the allegation of running a baby factory.
Despite this, the police went ahead to parade Odioakosa-Mmakwe before journalists, though she and her staff were later released from custody.
After her release, she dragged the police court for violation of her fundamental rights and personal dignity.
She demanded the sum of N200 million as damages.
While delivering judgment on the matter, Justice Muhammed Abubakar, granted the seven reliefs sought by the claimant.
The Judge also condemned the action of the Police while warning that parade of suspects before the media is a violation of fundamental rights of those paraded.
He therefore urged to police to respect the rights of suspects and stop parading them.
Odioakosa-Mmakwe’s cousel, Henry Ekeni, commended the court for standing up to protect the rights of citizens.
But he expressed worry on how difficult it will be to enforce the judgment against the police.
On her part, Odioakosa-Mmakwe told journalists that the judgment has vindicated her that she is innocent of the allegations leveled against her by the Police.