From Joseph Asegba, Yola
The Adamawa State Police Command heads to appeal over judgment delivered by the Yola High Court The court ordered the release of the suspected kidnapper, Hammadu Musa, and awarded him N5 million in damages.
The statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Suleiman Yahaya Nguroje, said the Command clarified that Musa was arrested by local vigilante members on allegations of kidnapping and subsequently handed over to the police.
According to the investigations, a prima facie case was reportedly established against him, leading to his arraignment in court.
The police also revealed that the case file was forwarded to the Adamawa State Ministry of Justice for legal advice and prosecution.
The statement emphasized that the Command acted within the confines of the law and did not detain the suspect unlawfully.
According to the police, Musa was remanded in a correctional facility in Yola on the orders of the court, contrary to allegations of wrongful detention and assured the public that it would collaborate with the Ministry of Justice to appeal the High Court’s decision, seeking a review of the judgment.”
It would be recalled that the State High Court sitting in Yola ordered the Adamawa State Police Command to Hammandu Musa N5m for unlawful detention for 5 years.
The appellant was arrested in 2019 by members of the Vigilante group in Song Local Government Area of the state and was prosecuted by the Police over the alleged kidnapping and was detained for 5 years at the Jimeta Correctional Centre without establishing facts that warrant his detention the presiding Judge, Justice Benjamin Manji Lawan when the case was mentioned, the Judge averred that the detention of the appellant for five years by the Police without being arraigned before the court of competent jurisdiction was unlawful and a constitutional breach of fair hearing and liberty as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, particularly section 36 (4) and (5) and section 35 (1).
The court, therefore, ordered the Adamawa State Police Command to pay the sum of N5 million as compensation to the appellant and unconditionally release him immediately.