Calabar court orders relocation of seized Cameroonian lawmaker’s vehicle

The presiding Judge, Justice Theresa Agom, at High Court 13, adjourned the matter to March 31, for judgment after listening to arguments from both sides.

The applicant, the youth senator for Manyu Division, Cameroon, Mr. Manghe Romeo Etta, is seeking N200 milion damages for “unlawful detention and breach of his fundamental rights”.

Earlier, Etta’s lawyer, Armstrong Takim Achu, of Centurion law firm in Calabar, said by Order 22, Rule 6(1) of the High Court of Cross River State (Civil Procedure) Rules 2023, argued that Etta’s rights were infringed by the police officers, stating: “They made him (the lawmaker), pay N150,000 after more than 12 hours of detention and was asked to leave without returning his vehicle particulars to him.”

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In an interview, Achu emphasised: “We bought our vehicle genuinely. Our arrest and detention was unlawful. We have our papers. They never presented one evidence to prove that the vehicle was stolen.”

However, the counsel to the Police, Mr. Nyakno Usenboroh, countered that Etta’s arrest was lawful and within 24 hours,”

But, Achu’s argued: “Whether you violated the fundamental rights of the applicant or not, is dependent on the motive of your arrest.”

The first and second respondents, who petitioned and instigated Etta’s arrest, were absent in court, prompting Achu to warn, “We don’t want a situation where there will be a rift between Nigeria and Cameroon government.”