Court orders police to pay N50m in damages over suspect’s death
A Plateau state High Court on Thursday ordered the police to pay N50 million in damages to the family of a suspect, Henry Dokotri, who was killed by five police officers.
Delivering judgment, Justice Mohammed Sorajo, found the police officers guilty of the offence following the testimony of one Ms. Margaret, who was also arrested along with Henry and 16 others and based on the medical report, which found no trace of hard drugs in the suspect’s blood stream.
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The judge, who also dismissed the claim of lack of jurisdiction to entertain the case, said that at the time Henry was shot, he was already in custody.
He said that the police lied when they claimed it was a bullet shot by hoodlums that killed Henry as they couldn’t show any proof that their vehicle had bullets holes.
“How could it be only one bullet shot by hoodlums against armed police officers?” the judge asked and answered by saying “it’s not possible.
“The police should stop telling lies against the deceased that he was caught with Indian hemp considering the medical report before this court.
“Having found the five police culpable in the death of Henry, I hereby order them, the inspector general of police, commissioner of police and the police to pay the family of Henry the sum of N50 million as compensation.
“I hold that they have infringed on the fundamental humanitarian rights of the deceased. Therefore, all the applications sought and all declarations of the plaintiff are valid.
“I hereby award to the family compensation to the sum of N50 million only.”
Dokotri was reportedly arrested, shot in the head and killed by five police officers with the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) on January 22, 2018.
The family had through its counsel, Niri Darong filed a suit against the five police officers and joined inspector general of police, the state commissioner of police and the police as respondents.
In pursuant of the fundamental right of the said late Henry, as enshrined in Sections 33 and 46 of the construction and Articles 2, 3 and 4 of the African Charter on Human Rights, the family asked the court to declare the murder as a grave violation of Dokotri’s right to life.
They also prayed the court to compel the police inspector general and police to pay Dokotri’s family N500 million as compensation and to tender an apology for informing the world that he was shot and killed while smoking cannabis.
The police through its counsel, M.O. Idoko, had claimed that the court had no jurisdiction to entertain the suit and asked for its dismissal.
The police claimed Henry was shot in the head by a bullet fired by some hoodlums that attacked the police during the arrest of Indian hemp smokers around the area.
