The Idemili branch of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) in Anambra State has demanded for the immediate transfer of the the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in charge of the newly created Idemili Area Command, Mr . Ekeocha for insulting, humiliating and intimidation of a Judge in the State Judiciary, Justice, Peace N.T. Otti.
In a petition to the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Garba Umar, the Idemili NBA asked that Ekeocha should tender unreserved apology to the Judge not later than seven days from the day of delivery of this petition to the Commissioner of Police.
Justice Otti, according to the petition signed by Hon S.O Chukwukelu and Chike Okoye, was in the morning of June 26, 2018, at Ugwunwasike in Ogidi, headquarters of Idemili Local Government Area of Anambra State, embarrassed and harassed by ACP Ekeocha who blocked the Judge's car for covering the plate number.
In the petition which was obtained by newsmen during the Weekend at Ogidi, the NBA warned that in the event of non adherent to the prayers above, the branch reserves the right to seek appropriate judicial remedies from the Court of law that "ACP Ekeocha is not a fit and proper person to be a police officer".
They said "We will also have recourse to the administrative disciplinary machinery of the Police Services Commission (PSC) and in addition bring a public interest action on behalf of the general public against ACP Ekeocha and the Police for the breach of Justice Otti's fundamental rights"
The Idemili NBA recalled that on that fateful day, the Judge was being driven to court in her official car with the uniformed Police orderly sitting beside the driver in the front seat.
A long queue, they said in the petition, was created by the Police road block and the Judge directed her driver to move out of the queue into the edge of the road and drive slowly to the police road block for them to be identified and given passage to get to court to attend to pressing judicial assignments.
The Judge's vehicle, they said, was inching to the police road block when suddenly an ash-coloured car that was on the queue whose occupant was later identified when he came down by the policemen on duty as ACP Ekeocha, the Area Commander of Idemili Police Command drove out of the queue, blocked the Judge's car and ordered the Policemen to get the police orderly out of the car.
"They impounded the official car of the Judge and searched it thoroughly to their satisfaction" NBA said.
ACP Ekeocha, it was gathered also ordered the driver of the car to open the booth whilst the Judge was all the while sitting at the back seat.
In obedience to the ACP order, six gun wielding police men
surrounded the car and forced her orderly, Sergeant Cletus Michael, out of the car, disarmed him, leaving the judge sitting alone in the car with the driver.
They said " it was on Nkwo market day so a sizeable crowd gathered to watch the uncommon scenario of how a siting Judge was being ridiculed and stripped of all dignity near her court.
The Judge was constrained to call the State Deputy Commissioner (DCP) of Police Operations, Mike Okoli, and narrated her ordeal to him" they said.
NBA said when the DCP called the Police they told him that the Judge's number plate was covered which prompted the impounding and search of the car but DCP directed them to allow her to go since she was a judge.
They said among other things"the brazen harassment and intimidation of a sitting judge in her jurisdiction despite the clear evidence of the identity and status leaves one to wonder at the lot of the common man in the street in the same delta situation. The high handedness and extreme sadism manifested by ACP Ekeocha calls to question his sobriety, level headness and ability to act with discretion".
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