From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure, the state capital, has ordered the Ondo State Government and the State Security Network Agency, also known as Operation Amotekun, to pay the sum of N30 Million to one Olusegun Oluwarotimi, a 36-year-old public transport motorcyclist who was shot illegally by men of the security agency.
Justice OM Adejumo, who delivered the judgment on Wednesday, said that the illegal use of weapon constituted a violation of the right to dignity of the plaintiff.
The judge added that the shooting which led to the amputation of the plaintiff’s leg was a flagrant violation of dignity of the victim, saying it was a sheer victimisation and dehumanisation.
She added that the cost awarded to the defendants should be paid by the two respondents for exemplary and general damages to the applicant in order to cater for his physical and emotional injuries.
According to her, the officers of the corps acted on flagrant abuse of power.
According to her, “the illegal shooting at Araromi Street on August 9, 2021 in Akure by the Amotekun corps was a violation of the applicant’s human right.
“The court hereby orders the respondents to jointly pay the sum of N20 million to the applicant as general damages and N10 million as exemplary damages,” she ruled.
The justice rejected the prayer of the applicant’s counsel, Mr Tope Temokun, asking the court to order the respondent to tender letter of apology to the applicant on a notable national newspaper.
Speaking with newsman after the ruling, Temokun said that the applicant was helpless and hopeless after several efforts to seek redress.
He said that he was happy that the judgement favoured his client, describing the verdict as an encouragement and inspiration to fight more for the downtrodden and the helpless in the society.
He said the Amotekun Corp was created for the benefit of the society at large and that the citizens must be its watchdog to ensure the establishment does not derail from it’s objective.