It can be said to be a season of tears for some topflight government officials and other major politicians in Imo State who either bought or acquired shell camp land in Owerri as a High Court has declared illegal the takeover of the land by those the outgoing Owelle Rochas Okorocha administration aided their acquisition.
Owerri High Court presided over by Justice K.A Ojiako, described the forceful entry and demolition of staff Quarters of Staff quarters of Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri and rendering of the institutions pensioners homeless as “illegal, unconscionable and portrayed the defendants as people that have no respect for the rule of law”.
In a two hours judgment Justice Ojiako gave yesterday, he stated that the action of the defendants (Imo State Governor and Imo State Government) “clearly negates the beliefs and contradicts the rule of law mantra in the often sung Imo Anthem”.
The Judge further said that what was more intriguing was that the properties which the defendants destroyed do not belong to them.
Said Ojiako; in view of this reprehensible, reckless, atrocious and cruel conduct of defendants, which also amounts to condemnable self help, I will award exemplary damages against them”.
Apart from awarding the plaintiffs the sum of N400m as consequential damages, Justice Ojiako also ordered that the plaintiffs should take possession of all the structure built in the area.
Dr A.M Iwoha and others who are Alvan retirees instituted a suit HOW/406/2016 against Imo State Governor, the Attorney General, Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Planning among other things, contest their forceful ejection from the quarters and destruction of their properties as well as prayed for consequential damages to assuage their losses.
