Anthony Okolie, the businessman arrested for using the phone number that previously belonged to Hanan, President Muhammadu Buhari Daughter, will now be paid ₦10 million as compensation by the Department of State Services (DSS).
This development is sequel to Judgement by a federal high court in Asaba ordering the secret police to pay Okolie the money.
Tope Akinloye, Okolie’s lawyer, shared notice of the of the judgement on twitter.
Okolie, having been arrested in July 2019 in Asaba, upon his release instituted legal action against DSS, MTN and Hanan Buhari.
He prayed the court that he should be compensated with N500 million for the violation of his rights having been in detention for 10 weeks.
In the suit filed by Tope Akinloye, his lawyer, Okolie said he purchased the SIM card for N1,000 at a market in Asaba.
“On December 8, 2018, at Ogbeogonogo market, Nebu road, Asaba, Delta state, I purchased a SIM card with phone number, 09035666662, for the sum of N1,000 only and I received a SIM pack with accompanying documents as a result as evidence of purchase receipt,” the affidavit read in part.
In its defence, the DSS claimed the plaintiff was detained for 10 weeks because his offence threatened national security.
Conversely, the president’s daughter denied the allegation that DSS arrested Okolie on her order.
In his verdict on Thursday, the judge upheld Okolie’s arguments and awarded N10 million cost in his favour.
Akinloye who confirmed the judgment on his Twitter page said: ”I’ve been able to persuade the federal high court to award N10 Million naira sum against SSS for the 10 weeks detention of Anthony Okolie over an MTN sim card once used by the daughter of President Buhari, Hanan.”
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