Court Dismisses Police Preliminary Objection Against Edison Ehie, With Awards Cost Of 100K For Lack Of Merits

A High Court in Rivers State has dismissed the preliminary objection by counsel to the Nigerian Police, Celestine Dickson, challenging the jurisdiction of the Court to hear the fundamental rights suit by the Chief of Staff to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Hon. Edison Ehie against the police for lack of merit.

The Trial Judge, Justice Sika Aprioku, in a ruling on Tuesday, assumed jurisdiction and held that the non-joinder of the Nigeria Police Force in a matter that the commissioner of Police is a party to does not render the suit incompetent, hence, the application by the Police lacks merit and hereby dismissed with a cost of 100,000 in favor of Edison Ehie.

Justice Aprioku also granted the prayers of the counsel to Edison, Damian Okoro to restrain the police from arresting, detaining, harassing, or inviting Ehie based on the trumped-up charges in the suit by Rt Hon. Martin Amaewhule in connection to the destruction of the Hallow chamber of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

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Speaking to newsmen outside the courtroom, counsel to the Police, Celestine Dickson, said he would study the judgment and advise his clients accordingly.

Dickson stated, “That is the wisdom of the court and we cannot criticize the wisdom of the court. The outcome of court decisions must bind parties.

“If you are not satisfied I think you study the judgement and take the next step. The court made it clear that in a couple of minutes, we were going to have copies of the judgement. That will give us the opportunity to look at the judgement and advise our clients accordingly,

On his part, one of the counsel to the Chief of Staff, Ibioku Mac-Barango said the judgment reflects the position of the law.