By Abdulwahab Abdulah
Three suspects discharged by a Lagos High Court over their alleged complicity in the murder of Pa Alfread Rewane in 1995 have approached a Federal High court in Lagos asking for N5 billion compensation.

Already, Justice Charles Achibong has fixed June 15,2012, for the hearing of their case.

Joined as defendants in the suit filed on their behalf by Mr. Maxwell Adeniran are the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, the Lagos State Government and the state Attorney General.

The Plaintiffs, Lucky Igbinovia, Effiong Elemu and Elvis Erenuwa have dragged the government to court asking for compensation over their alleged incarceration for over 15 years before they were set free last year by the court.

The were arrested in 1995 and charged alongside others in 1996 for alleged complicity in the killing of elder statesman, Pa Alfread Rewane.

They were however discharged by the state High Court last year after a long drawn trial before several judges on the ground that the prosecution failed to produce principal witnesses.

After regaining their freedom, the plaintiffs approached the court praying it to declare that “the roles played by the government for over 15 years were oppressive, wicked, malicious and an abuse of powers and outrageous disregard of the law.”

To this end, they prayed the court to award a punitive and exemplary damages of N5 billion against the police, the state government and the State Attorney-General jointly and severally in their favour.

The plaintiffs in their action asked for general damages of N1 billion jointly and severally against the defendants.

They averred that until Justice Williams of the state High court released them from detention on January 17, 2011, “as a result of the unlawful arrest and unsubstantiated legal advice given by the DPP”, they were kept behind bar in spite of their efforts to secure bail which was vehemently opposed by the state.

However, the state Government in its counter affidavit asked the court to strike out the action on the ground that it disclosed no reasonable cause of action and frivolous.

The government said there were enough evidences against the applicants while their trial lasted but their case was frustrated due to the relocation of majority of their witnesses,”it becomes difficult to locate them and the case had to suffer several adjournments.”

The state also argued that changes of Judges hearing the case also contributed to the delay in trial which eventually led to the trial court’s decision to strike out the case.