The suit instituted by the original land owners of the Shell Camp Estate Owerri, against the Imo State Government and some top politicians and Business Moguls in Owerri High Court in 2016 challenging their forced dispossession of the land is gradually coming to an end.
In the latest development, the plaintiffs through their lawyer, KCO Njemanze (SAN) is praying the court for an Application to commit the new occupants to prison for disobeying various court orders requesting them to vacate the Estate for the rightful and original owners.
The Plaintiffs said that they requested for the last option of committing the occupants to prisons because “this Honourable court on May 27, 2019 entered judgment for the plaintiffs/ judgment creditors and made a clear and positive order that the plaintiff/judgment creditors are entitled to peaceable and undisturbed possession of the properties known as and called Shell Camp”.
The court had declared that the Defendants do not have the right or power to sell, alleviate, transfer or lease the aforementioned properties, and granted an injunction restraining the Defendants, their servants, Agents or any person claiming through whatever manner the ownership of the Shell Camp Quarters.
But the Defendants continued constructing buildings on the land, against Court Order.
The plaintiffs averred that unless the Defendants are put in prison they will continue to disobey court orders.
Hence, the court will sit on Tuesday 30th March 2021 on the issue of prison.
The case has lingered since 2016, after the original owners were thrown out by the Government of Owelle Rochas Okorocha that petitioned the land to new Buyers.
The plaintiffs include Professors and Lecturers of Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, numbering over forty three (43).
Joined in the suit No HOW/406/2016 are Imo State Government, Imo State Governor, the Commissioners For Land, and Attorney General of the State.
Also sued are the fresh occupants of the land which include Senator Ifeanyi Ararume, Chief Leo Stan Eke, Chief George Eche, Chief Jude Ejiogu, Hon OZB Ozuruigbo, Bar Chima Anozie, Hon Iyke Njoku, Charles Amadi, Hon Acho Ihim, Prof Anwuka, Hon Chike Okafor, Charles Orie, Tony Chukwu and others.
