Awka court orders immediate release of estate developer detained since Dec. 14

An Anambra High Court sitting in Awka on Wednesday ordered the police to immediately release one Mr Chukwuemeka Ekwueme, a real estate developer detained at their Zone 13 Headquarters, Ukpo, Anambra, since Dec. 14.

The order followed an application for bail by Mr Alex Ejesieme (SAN), counsel to Ekwueme in Suit No. A/Misc 461/2022 and Motion No. A /2050m/2022 filed against the Inspector General of Police, Mr Usman Baba.

Other defendants are AIG Abutu Yaro, the officer in charge of Zone 13; Ms Nkiru Nwode, the police spokesperson in Zone 13 and Mr Emmanuel Awah, an officer in the office of the public relations officer.

Ejesieme had earlier told the court that Ekwueme was arrested and detained because he set out to develop a piece of land at Oba International Airport area in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra.

He said the police arrested his client upon a petition by the community, but had held him in detention without prosecuting him since Dec. 14.

The counsel argued that the police was acting in contempt of court with the continued detention of his client.

He added that the Magistrate’s Court at Ugbenu in Awka North Local Government Area of the state which approved his client’s arrest and detention vacated the order since Dec. 20.

Ejesieme described the police action as draconian and prayed the court to admit his client to bail pending the conclusion of investigation of the crime he allegedly committed.

He also sought an order to serve all processes in the suit on the respondents by serving same on the officer in charge of the Legal Department, at the Zone 13 Headquarters of the police at Ukpo.

In his ruling, Hon. Justice D. A. Onyefulu, a vacation judge ordered the police to release the applicant on bail in the sum of N5 million and a surety resident within the jurisdiction of the court.

The judge also ordered the applicant not to interfere with police investigation while on bail.

“The court hereby admits the applicant to bail in the sum of N5 million with one surety in like sum.

“Court also orders service of all the processes in this suit on the respondents as prayed by counsel to the plaintiff,” Justice Onyefulu ruled.

He adjourned the case to Jan. 4, 2023 for the motion on notice to be heard.