Judge Warns Naval Officer

Justice Adetokumbo Ademola of the Federal High Court, Calabar, has warned Navy Captain Ibrahim Chomoko of the Eastern Naval Command, Calabar, Cross River State, Southsouth Nigeria, to desist from threatening the life Hon. Joe Etene and his counsel Mr. Wodah Ogar over the case instituted by Etene against the Navy.

Etene, a law lecturer with the University of Calabar and former member of the Cross River State House of Assembly, had dragged the Navy to the Federal High Court presided over by Justice Ademola over ‘fundamental rights abuse’ in the suit No. FHC/CA/M88/2010.

The petitioner had alleged that he was assaulted and beaten to a state of coma by some Naval ratings which made him to seek redress in court for the assault and abuse and to enforce his fundamental human rights.

Consequently, Justice Ademola granted the pleas of Etene and awarded the sum of N150 million as damages against the Navy to be paid to the petitioner.

However, not satisfied with the judgment and to stop the process of garnisheeing the naval account, the force took the matter to Court of Appeal, Calabar.

Counsel to Etene, Mr. Ogar alleged that Navy Captain Chomoko, after the sitting at the Appeal Court on 28 June 2011, the officer threatened to beat up his client (Etene), saying that if he had been at the Navy gate the day Etene was allegedly beaten he would have supervised his killing.

He also claimed that the Naval officer threatened that having collected some part of the money, he (Etene) should watch his back, adding that the officer always threatens to kill him and his client whenever they come to court.

But Navy Captain Chomoko denied any form of threat or harassment of the lives of Mr. Ogar and his client, adding that he was even the person that was threatened by the petitioner.

He said he was more worried because people have in recent times been attacking and bombing the barracks.

But counsel to the Navy apologised to Etene who is a lawyer of 20 years standing and his counsel for the development and said that he has cautioned the officer and that such will not happen again.

Justice Ademola said nobody is above the law and that he was worried about the situation.

“I am a bit disturbed. These people (lawyers) have been coming to the court and I never heard any kind of complaint like this. They are not flippant and dangerous people.

“I can report this matter to the police or write to the Chief of Naval Staff. If you are thinking of beating and killing the petitioner and the counsel, what will you do to the judge? I am surprised to hear that you can do that, if not for your counsel, I would have known what to do,” Justice Ademola said.

— Emma Una/Calabar