Charles Okah Sues Prison Authorities N500 Million

Posted by African Examiner Crime Watch, Featured, Latest Headlines Thursday, May 1st, 2014

Charles Okah, who is currently being detained at Kuje Prison has dragged the prison authorities to court over various acts of inhuman treatments asking the court to award him N500 million as damages from the prison authorities.

The case has been assigned to Justice A.S Adepoju of the FCT High Court No. 31, Kuje and is slated for hearing on 12th of May, 2014.

In the form of Writ of Summon, Okah added the Minister of Interior, The comptroller General of Prisons and the Nigerian Prisons Service as defendants in the suit.

Okah, through his client, Festus Keyamo Chamber is seeking a declaration that the fumigation of his cell while he was inside by the officers of Kuje Prisons, Abuja under the control and authority of the defendants amounted to a breach of his fundamental human right to life and dignity as guaranteed by Sections 33 (1) and 34 (1) (a) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.

The Keyamo Chamber is also seeking a declaration that the administration on the plaintiff of the drug called Epilim Sodium Viproate, (ESV), primarily used for the ailment of epilepsy, when the plaintiff was not epileptic and had no history of epilepsy, by the officers of Kuje Prisons, Abuja under the control and authority of the defendants, amounted to a breach of the fundamental human right to life and dignity of the plaintiff, as guaranteed by Sections 33 (1)and 34 (1) (a) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.

It sought a further declaration that the intentional denial of the plaintiff of medication for the treatment of the plaintiff’s hypertension and high blood pressure, by the officers of Kuje Prisons, Abuja under the control and authority of the defendants amounted to a breach of the fundamental human right to life and dignity of the plaintiff, as guaranteed by Sections 33 (1) and 34 (1) (a) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.

The chamber is seeking an order awarding the sum of N500 million as damages against the defendants, for the actions of the officers of Kuje Prisons, Abuja under the control and authority of the defendants, in breach of the fundamental human right to life and dignity of the plaintiff, as guaranteed by Sections 33 (1) and 34 (1) (a) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.

It prays for an order mandating the officers of Kuje Prisons, Abuja under the control and authority of the defendants to allow the plaintiff access to proper medication as and when due and also an order restraining the officers of Kuje Prisons, Abuja under the control and authority of the defendants from administering the drug called Epilim Sodium Viproate, (ESV), primarily used for the ailment of epilepsy, and any other harmful drug on the Plaintiff.