Court fixes January 10 for judgment in Ojukwu’s suit

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on
Monday fixed Jan. 10, 2014, to deliver
judgment in a suit filed by Chief Debe
Ojukwu, against his siblings, over an
alleged breach of his fundamental human
rights.
The applicant, who claims to be the first
son of the late Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu,
had filed an application for the
enforcement of his fundamental rights on
Oct. 5, 2012.
He is seeking an order of the court to
restrain his siblings, from threatening his
life.
Joined as respondents were; Prof. Joseph
Ojukwu, Emmanuel Ojukwu, Lotanna
Ojukwu, Bianca Ojukwu, Patrick Ojukwu,
Patricia Ojukwu and Margaret Ojukwu.
Others are: the Inspector-General of Police
(IGP), Assistant Inspector-General of Police,
Mr Ibrahim Muktar; and Deputy
Commissioner of Police, Anambra State, Mr
Mike Okoli.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports
that the trial judge, Justice Okon Abang,
reserved judgment, after counsels
representing both parties had adopted
their written submissions.
Ojukwu, adopting his final address, argued
that as the eldest surviving son of the
deceased, he ought to be accorded proper
recognition, instead of being subjected to
ill-treatment by the respondents.
He, therefore, urged the court to hold that
the flagrant threats and harassment by the
respondents amounted to an infringement
of his fundamental rights.
In his response, counsel to the
respondents, Chief George Uwechue (SAN),
urged the court to dismiss the application
for lack of merit.
Uwechue argued that the
applicant’s suit was baseless, and a
mere abuse of court process and stressed
that the respondents were people of
integrity.
He said that the applicant was merely
making “a mountain out of a mole hill”, and
urged the court to disregard the suit.
Abang fixed Jan. 10, 2014, for judgment.
NAN reports that Ojukwu, in his originating
motion, averred that since his birth, as first
and eldest surviving son of late Odumegwu
Ojukwu, he had been poorly treated by the
family.
He claimed that the respondents had
invited him to come and oversee the
management of Ojukwu Transport Ltd,
owned by their late father, Chief
Odumegwu Ojukwu.
The applicant said that he had managed the
venture effectively with his expertise, until
the death of his father, when things began
to fall apart.
He said that, he was, thereafter, suddenly
informed by the respondents to hands off
the Transport Company, which he said he
had been managing so well.
According to the applicant, he had refused
to step down as Manager of the company,
but instead, filed an action in court
challenging his siblings.
He said that since filing the suit over the
control of the said Ojukwu Transport Ltd,
the respondents have continued to harass
and threaten his life, to persuade him to
withdraw the suit.
Ojukwu added that as a result, he was even
denied his right to perform the traditional
dust-to-dust funeral rite during his father’s
burial.
He is, therefore, claiming the sum of N100
million as exemplary damages against the
respondents, for breach of his fundamental
rights. (NAN