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Judge blasts IGP for disobeying court orders

Osagie Otabor , Benin 09/04/2011 01:25:00


Harsh words came from the bench yesterday for Inspector General of Police Hafiz Ringim.

A Benin High Court Judge, Justice Rowland Amaize slammed him and the Police for disobedience of court orders.

Justice Amaize said they should be ashamed of themselves for allowing politicians to use them to play their dirty politics.

A visibly angry Justice Amaize was reacting to the refusal of the Police authorities to disobey his order for the release of four applicants in police custody.

The four applicants are Messers Cletus Okhumode – Igemokhai, Osi Solomon, Smart Kadiri and Anomohe Augustine.

According to him," I made an order for the applicants to be released from custody. You disobeyed my order. Instead, you went to the Federal High Court which has no jurisdiction to hear the case to file a case against them.

"You now have the temerity to come before with a motion for an extension of time, before the same court that you have disobeyed its order .Mere seeing the motion paper on my table angers me.

"People believe that they have powers, but power is only transient and belongs to God. The Police have allowed themselves to be used by the politicians; it is a shame. Tell the Commissioner of Police that he should be ashamed of himself. Tell him that is what I said. You should be ashamed of yourself as a Policeman to stand before me after disobeying my order. You should leave my court.

"By the time this country crumbles, it will also fall on the Policemen starting form the Inspector General of Police to the last Constable. Your Commissioner of police must be completely out of his mind to disobey the court and asked you to come to the same court to file a motion for an extension of time.

"This is very sad for Nigeria , this is very sad for this nation that the Police will allow themselves to be used by the politicians. The whole essence is to keep people away until after the election, the judge said

He reminded the Police authorities that nobody, not even President Goodluck Jonathan was above the laws of the land..

Justice Amaize however ordered the police to bring the applicants before the court on April 13 for continuation of the suit.

It wil be recalled that Justice Amaize had while ruling on a motion exparte brought by counsel to the applicants, Mr. R I D Okezie, ordered the police who are respondents in the suit to release the applicants from whatever detention they were placed pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

He had also directed the respondents to refrain from doing anything or taking any step that might way jeopardise the freedom and or liberty of any of the applicants depending the determination and hearing of the motion on notice.

But instead of complying with the order of the court, the Police filed another charge at the Federal High Court, against the applicants which ordered their remand in custody until April 14.