Crime
THE Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday adjourned hearing in the case of illegal detention filed by David Nwawuisi against the Department of State Service (DSS) until June 6.
Nwawuisi, an engineer by profession, was arrested in connection with his purported involvement with the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in 2015.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole adjourned the case as the defendants were absent, and ordered issuance of fresh hearing notice before the adjourned date.
Counsel to the applicant, Mr Habila Turshak, told the court that his client was arrested and detained for more than six months by members of the DSS without court order.
He said his client was arrested sometime in November 2015, and detained for that long without being charged to court.
According to Turshak, Nwawuisi, an engineer by profession, was arrested in connection with his “purported involvement with the unlawful IPOB organisation,’’ in 2015.
He said that prior to being arraigned and charged alongside the former IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu in 2016, Nwawuisi was unlawfully detained by the DSS for more than six months in their cell.
“We are challenging the illegal detention by the DSS without court order. It’s an infringement on his fundamental right,’’ Turshak said.
He said that the defendant, now in prison custody and no longer with the DSS after arraignment in 2016, had not been granted bail till date.
The counsel said that he was not challenging the court order for his remand, but the unlawful detention by the security outfit.
He said that prior to the arraignment, his client had the right to be released on bail or taken to court for fair hearing.
Turshak noted that keeping him in their custody was depriving him of his fundamental human right.
– Apr. 19, 2018 @ 15:00 GMT
BE
Tags: Court adjourns unlawful detention suit filed against DSS until June 6
