5th February, 2017
Consequently, the court has summoned 19 commercial banks to appear before the court to show cause while the money should not be paid.
The court summons on the 19 banks was sequel to a garnishee proceedings brought before the court by Pastor Obabueki, a judgment creditor in a fundamental right enforcement suit filed against Reverend Sadela, Gospel Apostolic Church and two other defendants.
Other judgement debtors in the suit are Pastor Ozugbaku and one Pastor Timothy Bamidele Abaderu.
A Federal High Court presided over by Justice Musa Kurya, had in March 12, 2014, awarded a judgment sum of N500 million in favour of Pastor Obabueki, for shooting him in his eyes by the judgment debtors
Pastor Obabueki in his uncontroverted and uncontradicted affidavit stated that he was serving under Reverend Samuel Akinbode Sadela, his head pastor and General Overseer who had ordained him Pastor on 2nd September, 1996. He was then posted to Akwa Ibom branch in 1996.
On October 31, 2000 he was invited to a yearly meeting by Reverend Sadela to hold in Lagos. After the meeting and on 1 November, Reverend Sadela asked the pastors to submit monies realised from tithes and offerings in their branches.
He stated that when it came to his turn, he told them that he can only submit the list having given all monies to Reverend Sadela while showing them the list for all monies realised.
He stated that his submission resulted in quarrel and he was queried by Timothy Bamidele Abaderu but the quarrel was settled by late Reverend Sadela.
After the settlement of the quarrel, he and Pastor Abaderu went into a separate room, where Pastor Abaderu took a gun and shot him right in the eyes while trying to escape, and now he is completely blind and cannot see at all.
He said before the incident he was very healthy with his two eyes and could see without impediment.
The matter was reported to the police but nothing came out of it. He said the investigating Police Officer told him at his office at Zone two Police Headquarters, Lagos State on 26 July, 2001, that when he was recording the statement of Reverend Sadela, a Deputy Inspector General of Police from the office of the Inspector General of Police called for the file and the file was transferred to Abuja and the case was killed and all the respondents, Reverend Samuel Akinbode Sadela, Pastor Ozugbaku and Timothy Bamidele Abaderu were released.
He then filed civil suit to redress the injustice done to him.
In his judgment, Justice Kurya said: “All the respondents were served and have all the time and facilities at their disposal as required by law to defend this suit but have refused to do so. Therefore the facts deposed to by Pastor Garuba Gabriel Osah Obabueki have remained neither controverted nor contradicted and deem admitted.”
During the pendency of this case the defendants never file any defence.
Consequently, Justice Kurya entered judgment in the sum of N500 million for general, aggravated and exemplary damages against all the respondents severally and jointly, as reparation for the unconstitutional brutal removal of Pastor Obabueki’s two eyes.
However, failure of the respondents to obey the court order against them, Pastor Obabueki, through his lawyer Malachy Ugwummadu filed a Garnishee proceedings against them.
The matter has been adjourned till March 9 for the banks to show cause.
Akin Kuponiyi