Imo State Governor, Senator, Hope Uzodinma has allegedly taken a daring step to ignore court judgement that granted the prayers of Mr Alex Opara, Jude Osuji, Anthony, Uroegbulam, Esq and John Oparaugo who represented their families in a suit filed against Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma and others in suit number HOW/1219/2019 over the trespass of their family land located at Plot DS/6 Commercial District ‘G’ New Owerri.
The case held in the High Court of Imo State Owerri, before his Lordship, Honourable Justice K.A Leweanya with judgement delivered on February 9,2023 between Alex Opara, Jude Osuji, Anthony, Uroegbulam, Esq, John Oparaugo against, Imo State Govenor, the Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Physical Planning and Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.
In what appeared like an affront on the judiciary, after Judgement was given and period of Appeal elapsed, Imo State Governor acting through his Special Adviser on Lands Recovery, Mr Paschal Nwakamma, allegedly invaded the place in a commando manner with thugs and people believe to be NECO staffers to erect a structure.
It will be recalled that the plaintiffs as representatives of their families went to court to press for one billion naira damages for trespass over the aforementioned land belonging to the above families
After considering the merits of their prayers over the trespass matter before the court as well as the Terms of Settlement, Justice.K.A. Leweanya delivered a judgement dated Thursday February 9,2023 in favour of the plaintiffs.
Certified true copy of the Court Judgement delivered by Hon Justice K. Leweanya reads in parts:”I have listened to the PW1 who is the 2nd Plaintiff in this matter, I have also listened to DW2 Isaac Oguzie, Director in the Ministry of Lands Survey and physical planning, I have also seen the terms of settlement dully signed by their counsel on behalf of the defendants and one Jude Osuji, 2nd plaintiff, on behalf of the plaintiff and the said terms of agreement dated 31-1-2023 and filed on the same day is adopted as Exhibit one.
To this circumstance therefore, the same terms of settlement already marked Exhibit 1 is hereby made judgement of the court in Suit No. HOW/1219/2019, Alex Opara and three others verses the governor of Imo State and two others, this terms of settlement is binding on all the parties”.
Available reports with documented evidence showed that Attorney General of Imo State and Commissioner for Justice, , Barr. C. O.C. Akaolisa Consented to Levy of Execution on May 24 , 2023
The Consent to Levy of Execution by the Attorney General reads; “based on Court settlement in the above matter and judgement of the Court therein, I hereby consent to the execution of the judgement which seeks only to restore the possession of the Land to the judgement creditors as ordered by Court without any cost or monetary consequence.
Condemning the action, a prominent Imo Son, Mr Emmanuel Duru, said; ” from general perspective, actions taken by SA Lands are believed to be instructions of the governor; indirectly; this is like telling the judiciary to go to hell, their judgement does not matter.
On a second thought, I doubt if the govenor is aware of the actions of his Special Adviser on Lands, sometimes overzealous aides tend to drop his name whenever they purportedly carried out illegitimate actions.
Other media observers, legal luminaries and stakeholders who questioned the legality of the governor”s action wondered why a leader who benefited from the judiciary should embark on action that seems like an affront on the judiciary.
A visit to the office of Special Adviser on Lands by reporters from News Alert was unsuccessful, calls put across to his phone line at the time of filling this report was not responded.
A text to his phone line reads; “Sir, I want to hear from you on allegations of contempt of court against court judgement delivered by His Lordship, Honourable Justice K.A Leweanya on 9th day of February 2023 between Alex Opara, Jude Osuji, Anthony, Uroegbulam, Esq, John Oparaugo against, Imo State Govenor, the Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Physical Planning and Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice with suit No
HOW/1219/2019 over the trespass of their family land located at Plot DS/6 Commercial District ‘G’ New Owerri was not replied.
