On Friday, 27^th of January, Patrick secured the release of a couple who had been threatened and arrested by the police on false-allegations of assault.

Acting as an agent to his landlord, one of the accused had issued statutory quit notices to a tenant who had failed to pay her rent for over three years. He also gave evidence against her in court, and she was ordered to vacate the apartment.

Following a court order, the tenant and her son assaulted the couple, and in an act of vandalism, did extensive damage to their car. The couple reported the matter to the police and the tenant was invited in for questioning but subsequently released on bail. Once released, she went directly to her brother – a very senior police officer – who exerted his influence to have the case transferred to a different police station. When the couple were invited in for questioning at the new station, they were promptly arrested and detained for alleged assault. 

Patrick received a call from Ms. Kopindi Kanebi, a paralegal stationed at the court, and was able to affect their release. Unfortunately, the couple has continued to be threatened by the police. Patrick has therefore filed the case before the High Court of Lagos State, in the hope that the Court will make an order that the arrest and continuing threat of arrest of the couple constitutes a violation of their fundamental human rights, as provided for in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.

The Registrar of the High Court has agreed to give a date for the hearing – the JusticeMakers team will keep readers updated as soon as we get word from Lagos!