Court awards N7.9m to widow over husband’s killing by police in Ondo

A Federal High Court sitting in Akure, Ondo state capital, on Monday, awarded the sum of N7.9m against the Nigerian Police Command over the killing of one Mr Christopher Akarewan, who was shot dead by the police.

The wife of the deceased, Mrs Queen Akarewan, has dragged the Police command to court over the killing her husband who refused to pay N50 bribe at a checkpoint on his way home on Oct 13, 2011, in Okitipupa, headquarters of Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State

Akarewan, a commercial motorcyclist, was killed by two policemen, Mr John Aghaulor and Mr Igodi Gbefamoghan, after demanding N50 while the deceased offered to pay N30 at the checkpoint.

The policeman who was attached to a bank were infuriated by the refusal of the deceased not to pay the money and shot him at close range after an argument ensued between them.

It was, however, gathered that Aghaulor and Gbefamoghan had since been dismissed by Nigeria Police Force.

While delivering the judgement, Justice Abdu Dogo, said that the victim’s life was unlawfully terminated contrary to Section 33 of Nigerian Constitution.

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According to him, the section of the constitution allows anybody who has an interest in the existence of the person whose life is taken unlawfully to take redress in a court of jurisdiction.

The judge said that the perpetrators were still under the service of Nigeria Police Force when the crime was committed.

Dogo however, ordered the Nigeria Police Force and the state Commissioner of Police to pay the sum of N7.9million as the damages to the plaintiff, Mrs Queen Akarewan, the deceased widow.

The judge condemned the gruesome unlawful and extra-judicial killing of the deceased over a bribe of N50 and ordered that the money is paid within 30 days of the judgment.

The deceased wife had approached the court demanding damages of the sum of N8 million against the Nigeria Police Force, the state Commissioner of Police, and the police officers alleged to be responsible.