Return N.7m exhibit in 30 days, court orders police
Lagos CP, Umar Manko.
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An
Ebute-Meta Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, has ordered the state
Commissioner of Police to return N700,000 which was used as an exhibit
within 30 days.
The money ought to have been given back to a man, Mr. Emeka Okeke, after he was discharged and acquitted in a case of arson.
At the hearing on Friday, Okeke‘s lawyer
told the court that the police had yet to return the money despite the
court’s previous directives.
Consequently, Chief Magistrate
Christiana Adesola-Ikpatt ordered that the Inspector-General of Police,
state Commissioner of Police and state Attorney-General be notified of
the continued non-compliance.
“The Lagos State Commissioner of Police
is required within 30 days to release the said N700,000 to Okeke or face
sanction from this court,” Adesola-Ikpatt said.
The case was adjourned till August 27 for report of compliance.
Okeke was charged with arson in 2008
after his landlord, Adejare Apampa, reported him at Ikotun Police
Station, Lagos, for allegedly burning down his house at 1, Olatoke Owoo
Close, Ikotun.
Okeke’s apartment was also said to have been razed in the fire resulting in the loss of his property.
When the police searched the house, they
discovered that Okeke had in his apartment, a safe containing N700,
000, which was not burnt in the fire.
The money was withheld as an exhibit in
the case but a legal advice from the state Attorney-General and
Commissioner for Justice cleared Okeke of the crime.
Based on the advice, the case against Okeke was struck out and he was discharged. But the police held on to his money.
