An Ondo State High Court in Akure has ordered the state government and the State Security Network, codenamed Amotekun, to pay N30 million to a 36-year-old commercial motorcyclist, Olusegun Oluwarotimi, for illegally shooting him.
Justice O.M. Adejumo, who delivered the judgment on Wednesday, said that the illegal firing constituted a violation of the right to dignity of the victim.
Adejumo stated that the shooting, which led to the amputation of the victim’s leg, was a flagrant violation of his dignity, saying that it was a sheer victimisation and dehumanisation.
She said that the said amount must be paid by the two respondents for exemplary and general damages to the applicant in order to cater for his physical and emotional injuries.
The judge said that action of the Amotekun personnel amounted to flagrant abuse of power.
“The illegal shooting at Araromi Street on Aug. 9, 2021 in Akure by Amotekun was a violation of the applicant’s human rights.
“The court hereby orders the respondents to jointly pay the sum of N20 million to the applicant as general damages and N10 million as exemplary damages,” she said
The judge, however, rejected the prayer of the applicant’s counsel, Mr Tope Temokun, asking the court to order the respondent to tender an apology to his client in a notable national newspaper.
