AIG Zone 2, Police Superintendent Risk Jail Term Over Contempt Of Court

ABEOKUTA - An Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 2 Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos and a Superintendent of Police, Tijani Taofiq have been charged for contempt of court. 

The police officers had arrested and detained the applicant who is a Chinese national, Cheng Zheng for criminal offence. 

Zheng is the Interpreter and Sales Manager of Hand in Hand Industry Nigeria Limited. 

The case with Suit no: HCT/872/19 was thereafter filed to court before Justice O. Ogunfowora of Ota High Court who declared that the accusation lacked evidence. 

In his judgement on June 9th, 2020, Justice Ogunfowora ordered release of the applicant's international passport with No.EB4555829.

The court also ordered the defendants to pay five hundred thousand naira as damages and also pay fifty thousand naira in favour of the applicant.

Despite the court order, the defendants failed to comply with the judgement of the court, necessitating the applicant to file contempt of court against the defendants before Justice O. J Bamgbose of Igbesa High Court, Ogun State.

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When the case was called on Tuesday, counsel to the applicant, Chief O. T Akinbiyi, SAN argued that refusal of the police officers to abide by the rules of the court was an infringement of fundamental rights and Liberty of the applicant. 

The Counsel prayed to the court to compel the defendants to comply with the previous judgement of the court. 

Akinbiyi also prayed to the court to sentence the police officers over their refusal to obey rules of the court.

"Refusal of the court order is an infringement of the fundamental rights and Liberty of the applicant.

"The respondents were duly notified of the court order and warned that the next is punishment if they failed to abide by the rules.

"They did not give any reason for their refusal to comply with the court and why they didn't appear before the court" Akinbiyi argued. 

Justice O. J Bamgbose however adjourned the case till April 6, 2022, for judgment.