Enugu Businessman Uses Court Order To Dodge Arrest After Allegedly B€ating Truck Driver Into C0ma

Donald Ekete, the Managing Director of Eketeson Resources Nig Ltd, managed to snag a court order stopping the police from arresting him. This comes after he was accused of using policemen to beat a truck driver from a rival company into a coma.

According to SaharaReporters on October 1, a truck driver named Okechukwu Ofor was allegedly attacked by three policemen working for Eketeson Resources on Ekete’s orders. Ofor, not one to let things slide, has filed a lawsuit against both the company and the officers. He’s seeking over N600 million in damages, covering everything from aggravated to exemplary harm.

This isn’t the first time the incident hit the news. Back on June 3, SaharaReporters detailed how those same policemen, tied to Eketeson—one of the companies handling road repairs in Enugu—beat Ofor senseless. Ofor, who works for Toshel Nig Ltd, a rival construction company, was dumped at the Independence Layout Police Station after the assault, with the attackers hoping he wouldn’t survive.

But as fate would have it, some good cops stepped in and rushed him to the state police clinic, where he was stabilized. From there, he was transferred to another hospital for better care.

Fast forward to September 30, when things took another twist. SaharaReporters reported that, in what looked like an attempt to pressure Ofor into dropping his lawsuit and a petition to the Inspector General of Police, the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Kanayo Uzuegbu, arrested and locked up the Managing Director of Toshel, Mr. Tochukwu Nzekwe.

On September 26, Nzekwe found himself facing a magistrate, His Worship Chukwu Ani, on what some are calling bogus charges of “promoting local war” and conspiracy…[CONTINUE READING HERE]>>

Now, here’s where it gets even messier. After Nzekwe’s release from prison, Ekete sprinted to Justice C.A. Ogbuabor at the Enugu State High Court. There, on October 10, he scored an ex-parte order preventing police officials, his alleged victim Ofor, and Nzekwe from arresting him—at least until a motion on notice is heard.

Documents obtained by SaharaReporters on Friday show the case was filed under Suit No: E/863/2024. Ekete was listed as the sole applicant, while the respondents included the Inspector General of Police, AIG Force CID Annex Enugu, the Enugu State Police Commissioner, and, of course, Nzekwe and Ofor.

The motion, brought under Nigeria’s Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, 2009, leaned heavily on constitutional provisions and human rights statutes. Ekete’s legal team filed the necessary affidavits and exhibits at the Enugu High Court Registry on October 9, laying out their argument to keep him out of police custody—at least for now.

Part of the statement reads: “…Upon Considering the facts contained in the affidavit, the exhibits, the written address and other processes filed in this suit this honourable Court hereby Orders as follows:

“An Order of Interim Injunction restraining the respondents whether by themselves or by their officers, servants, agents or privies from arresting, detaining or in any other manner infringing on the Fundamental Rights of the Applicant pending the determination of the Motion on Notice already filed.

“That the parties be and are therefore directed to maintain the status quo as of today pending the determination of the substantive application.

“That the matter is adjourned to 24 day of October, 2024 for hearing of the Motion on Notice…[CONTINUE READING HERE]>>