Court orders Ondo to pay N30m to motorcyclist shot by Amotekun

A high court in Akure has ordered the Ondo government and the state security network, codenamed Amotekun, to pay N30 million to Olusegun Oluwarotimi, a 36-year-old commercial motorcyclist, for illegally shooting him.

Delivering judgment on Wednesday, O.M Adejumo, the presiding judge, held that the shooting, which led to the amputation of the victim’s leg, was a flagrant violation of his dignity, adding that it was sheer victimisation and dehumanisation.

Adejumo ordered that damages should be paid to the applicant to cater for his physical and emotional injuries.

“The illegal shooting at Araromi street on August 9, 2021, in Akure by Amotekun was a violation of the applicant’s human rights,” the judge held.

“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.”

The judge, however, rejected the prayer of Tope Temokun, the applicant’s counsel, asking the court to order the respondent to tender an apology to his client in a notable national newspaper.

Reacting to the judgment, the victim said he hopes the state government would comply with the ruling of the court.

“I thank the court and my lawyer, who has stood firmly with me,” he said.

“I am now an amputee, with a wife and two children. It has been tough since the incident occurred but I thank God that I’m favoured at last.

“I pray that the state government and Amotekun will obey appropriately as ordered by the court.”