By Muftau Ogunyemi
The Ondo State High Court in Akure has ordered the Ondo State Government and thr State Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun to pay the sum of N30 million to Olusegun Oluwarotimi, a 36 year-old commercial motorcyclist, for illegally shooting him.
Justice O.M Adejumo, who delivered the judgment on Wednesday said that the illegal firing constituted a violation of the right to dignity of the applicant.
Adejumo added that the shooting which led to the amputation of the applicant’s leg was a flagrant violation of dignity of the victim, saying it was a sheer victimization and dehumanization.
She added that the said amount should be paid by the two respondents for exemplary and general damages to the applicant in order to cater his physical and emotional injuries.
According to her, the officers of the corp acted on flagrant abuse of power.
“ The illegal shooting at Araromi Street on August 9, 2021 in Akure by the Amotekun was a violation of the applicant’s human right.
“ The court hereby orders the respondents to jointly pay the sum of N20 million to the applicant as general damages and N10 million as exemplary damages,” she said.
The justice, however, rejected the prayer of the applicant’s counsel, Mr Tope Temokun, asking the court to order the respondent to tender letter of apology to the applicant on a notable national newspaper.
Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) after the judgment, Temokun said that the applicant was helpless and hopeless after several efforts to seek redress.
He said that he was happy that the judgement favoured his client, describing the verdict as an encouragement and inspiration to fight more for the downtrodden and the helpless in the society.
According to him, the Amotekun Corp was created for the benefit of the society at large and that the citizens must be its watchdog to ensure the establishment does not derail from it’s objective.
The applicant’s counsel stated that he believed
that the state government and the corps would obey the court’s order.
“ As we leave this place this afternoon, our letter will get to Mr Governor, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and he will comply with that judgement.
“ He is not a lawless governor. He will comply. And I believe that no government will use public fund to appeal a case in favour of victim rendered disabled. It is their right but this government will not do it because it is the duty of government to protect him, my client.
“He has been rendered disabled but his children will go back to school when the court’s order is obeyed because they had stopped going to school since,” he said.
Applauding the judgement, Oluwarotimi, the victim, said that he was glad that there was still justice in the country despite a long period of time.
“ I thank the court and my lawyer, who has stood firmly with me. I am now an amputee with a wife and two children. It has been tough since the incident occurred but i thank God that I’m favoured at last.
“ I pray that the government and the Amotekun will obey appropriately as ordered by the court,” he stated.