Group Accuses CP of Human Rights Abuse

A Human Rights Group, Global Centre for Peace and Justice, has accused Abia Commissioner of Police, Mr Jonathan Johnson, of disobeying a court injunction by re-arresting two witnesses shortly after they had given testimonies in court. But The Police Commissioner has denied the charge.

The founder of the group, Barrister Anthony Agbazuere, made the accusation in Umuahia. He described the action of the Police Commissioner as a human rights abuse.

Agbazuere further alleged that his clients, Chief Godfrey Nnoduechi and Sunday John, whom he described as innocent citizens, were being intimidated by a legion of armed policemen for giving evidence in court.  According to Agbazuere, the Police Commissioner sent his monitoring team to re-arrest the two men whom he said were on bail and had equally obtained a High Court injunction from being re-arrested over the same matter.

“This is not good for justice delivery system in the country and this is more worrisome as a High Court had granted an injunction restraining the Police Commissioner from re-arresting the applicant who is also on court bail,” he said.

The human rights activist said that his clients were charged to court on the orders of the Police Commissioner on the grounds that Nnoduechi put some persons to extreme fear and that he had become an object of dread.  He said that his clients had given affidavit evidence against the commissioner, one Mr Daniel Ubani and two others in suit no. HU/21 M/2010.

“After they had given their testimonies which the Commissioner thought was contrary to his expectations, Johnson arrested them with a view to intimidating them into abandoning reversing their statements of fact,” Agbazuere said.