Court Orders Immediate Release Of Lawyer From Police Detention

Court Orders Immediate Release Of Lawyer From Police Detention

A Federal High Court of Lagos State, as ordered the immediate release of a lawyer, Pinima Amanda Anomiedei, from the custody of the Nigeria Police Force.

The court presided over by Justice Nicholas Oweibo, ordered that the lawyer who has been in the custody of the Nigerian Police since last Wednesday, September 16, 2022, be released in the interim, till the hearing of the interlocutory application filed by the detailed lawyer.

Justice Oweibo order was sequel to the hearing of the Exparte motion filed and argued by the counsel to the detained lawyer, Daniel Yeri.

The detained lawyer in her suit marked FHC/L/CS/1771/22, listed Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Nigeria Police Force; The Commissioner of Police, Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) Salem House, Force Headquarters Annex, Obalende, Lagos; C.P. Mary George; Gigat Nigeria Limited; Femi Olawale and Dorothy Nwakanma, Who were first to six respondents.

The lawyer had asked the court for “an order of interim injunction directing the first to third respondents, especially C.P Mary George (the first and second respondents) to release her from custody forthwith pending the hearing and determination of her Motion for interlocutory Injunction and or the substantive suit.

“An order of Interim Injunction restraining the first to third respondents from re-arresting her at the instance of any complaint by the first to third respondent and or their allies/privies/representatives pending the hearing and determination of the Motion for interlocutory Injunction and or the substantive suit.

“An order of the Court granting her leave to her to serve the originating processes in the suit and ali other processes/court orders and hearing Notices, on the fifth and sixth respondents via substituted means, by WhatsApp through their telephone numbers given as; 0803220104 for the fifth respondent, and 08033361911 for the sixth respondent respectively, and by pasting on their address given as “6a, 1 Macgregor Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.”

Justice Oweibo after listening to Barrister Yeri’s submission, held that; “upon reading through the Affidavit in Support of the Motion Ex-parte and Affidavit of Extreme Urgency with the Exhtbits attached therein, deposed to by Daniel Yeri Onyinki, Esq, a Legal Practitioner with Messrs, Dewlight Legal Practice Limited Liability Partnership of C/O, Legi Domini; Future View Building, 22, Oju-Olobun Close, Victoria Island, Lagos, and a Written Address dated 15th day of September, 2022 and all filed at this Court Registry on the 16th day of September, 2022. 

“And after hearing  the submissions of D. O. Yeri, Esq, Learned Counsel for the Applicant, who moved in terms of the Motion paper. 

“And the court after careful consideration of the application and submissions of counsel. It Is hereby ordered as follows: “That an Order of this Honourable Court is hereby granted to the Applicant for the urgent hearing and determination (in the course of the annual court vacation) of the Originating Summons filed, pending before this Honourable Court seeking the enforcement of the Fundamental Rights of the applicant against the respondents.

 
“That an Order of Interim Injunction is hereby granted to the Applicant directing the first to third respondents, particularly C. P. Mary George (the first and second respondents) to release the Applicant from their custody forthwith pending the hearing and determination of the Motton for interlocutory Injunction and or the substantive suit.

“That an Order of Interim Injunction ts hereby granted to the applicant restraining the first to third respondents from re-arresting the Applicant at the instance of any complaint by the fourth to third respondent and or their allies/privies/representatives pending the hearing and determination of the Motion for interlocutory Injunction and or the substantive suit.

“That an order of this honourable Court is hereby granted to the Applicant to serve the Originating Processes in this suit and all other Processes/ court orders and hearing notices, on the fifth and sixth respondents via substituted means, by: WhatsApp through their telephone numbers given as; 0803220104 for the fifth respondent, AND 08033361911 for the sixth respondent respectively, and by pasting on their address given as “6a, 1 Macgregor Road, Ikoyi-lagos.”

The judge has adjourned till October 7, 2022, for hearing of the detained lawyer’s motion of the interlocutory injunction