Court in Akwa Ibom orders ex-councillor to pay N4 million for assaulting, stripping woman naked
Justice Edem Akpan of a high court in Uyo, Awka Ibom State, has ordered a former councillor in the state, Uduak Nseobot, and his wife, Aniedi, to pay N4 million for assaulting and stripping a woman, Iniubong Essien, naked in public.
The court also ordered that they pay an additional N200,000 to the woman to cover the cost of litigation.
Sahara Reporters reports that Nseobot had, sometime in November 2018 when he was still in office, abducted the victim in Uyo and driven her to Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area of the state, about 27 minutes away, where he and his wife assaulted and publicly stripped her. They had reportedly accused her of stealing their money, which they claimed was “sprayed” on them at their wedding ceremony.
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The victim had her body painted with charcoal and a rope tied around her waist while she was forced to dance naked before some community people.
Delivering judgment in the case, Justice Akpan, while delivering a verdict on Thursday, January 6, said what Nseobot and his wife did to the woman was “totally condemnable”.
The judge added that the man’s action was a typical disregard Nigerian politicians have for citizens’ rights. He added that by their own affidavits, the man and his wife “admitted to committing the atrocities” and that they had no defence for what they did.
A Lagos-based lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, who had filed the fundamental rights enforcement suit on behalf of Ms Essien, told newsmen that his client had been vindicated by the judgment.
“From the outset (sic) the evidence was very compelling. What the former councillor did was quite outrageous. I think that is one of the most grievous examples of human rights’ violations in Nigeria.
We are going to enforce the judgment. If they go on appeal, we will be waiting for them”, he said.
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