Three months after a National Industrial Court sitting in Enugu, Enugu State, ordered the Police Service Commission, PSC, Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mr Ibrahim Idris and the Enugu State Police Commissioner, CP, to reinstate a sacked police woman, Corporal (Miss) Hannah Markson, return her mother’s Toyota Rav4 SUV they confiscated, payment of backlog of salaries, N2million compensation for general damages and wrongful dismissal and her transfer from Enugu back to Akwa Ibom State, where she was transferred from, the order is yet to be obeyed by the trio.
Crying for intervention through her counsel, B. C. Uzuegbu, for the court order to be obeyed, she hinted that she has been incarcerated in detention, rendered jobless, frustrated and sacked by the trio for an offence that was not established until now that the court has come to her rescue by discharging and acquitting her.
The claimant’s case is that she joined the police force in February 2001 with Force No. 024795 and as at June 2009, she was promoted to the rank of a Corporal. On the 29th March 2011 at about 10pm, she was arrested in the house of her fiancée along Agbani road Enugu, by an Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP, Okeke and his team of policemen.
She was detained and later her family members were also arrested along with her mother and variously detained at Eket Police Command, Enugu and later the claimant was transferred to Force CID Abuja, where she was released by an order of the Federal High court Abuja.
When she was first arrested on the 29th of March 2011, a Toyota Rav 4SUV with registration No. TU716 KJA, belonging to her mother was confiscated and taken to the Police Command Enugu. Despite the fact that the mother brought proof of ownership, the police refused to release the car and the mother detained for days.
It was later that the police reportedly framed up charges of forgery against her and after one year and one month of trial at a Magistrate court in Enugu that she was discharged and acquitted.
The claimant at the point of her being released via the order of the Federal High court that she was imformed that she has been dismissed from the Police Force. Up to the time of filling this suit to the
Industrial court the reason for her sack and detention of her family was not disclosed.
In the Industrial court she sort for the following reliefs, a declaration that the termination of her employment was wrongful and contrary to the rules of natural justice and an order for payment of backlog of salaries from April 2011 till date.
An order reinstating her to her employment and her transfer from Enugu Police Command to Akwa Ibom state Police Command and compensation of N2million for general damages and wrongful dismissal.
She also prayed for her promotion to an Inspector of police which is the rank of her mates.
The Industrial court, Presided over by Hon Justice I. J. Essien (PHD) on making his order, granted all the prayers of the claimant (Plaintiff) except promotion to the rank of an Inspector.
According to the Judge, “the claimant did not lead any evidence to proof to this head of claim. The law is that the claimant ought to have led evidence and also establish evidence before this court that she ought to be entitled to an order promoting her to the rank of Inspector. This claimant failed to do. In the circumstances, this head of claim fails and is hereby dismissed” he ordered.
Meanwhile, her counsel, B.C. Uzuegbu, has written reminder to the trio authorities to obey the court order warning, “take notice that after 30 days from the receipt of this letter, we shall without fail, approach the court for necessary orders and sanctions to be imposed accordingly”.
