As the N2billion suit filed by Anosike brothers against the Nigerian Police and a former lawmaker, Sen. Ikechukwu Obiorah for the arrest, detention, and abuse of their fundamental rights comes up for hearing next week Monday, they have again written a second petition to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Hon. Justice Walter S.N Onnoghen against the decision of the Nigerian Police to initiate fresh criminal charges against them.

They also added in the petition that there is a subsisting 2010 Court of Appeal ruling which dismissed criminal charges against them and their company Folio Communications on the grounds that the dispute between them and Obiorah was purely civil and therefore should not be grounds for criminal prosecution.

In the petition dated June 6, 2018, and made available to newsmen Thursday, Anosike brothers and their company Folio Communications Plc, publishers of Daily Times urged the CJN to treat the matter urgently.

Signed by the Group Managing Director, Folio Communications Plc, Mr. Noel Anosike, the petition traced the root of the matter  to their legitimate bid and successful acquisition of Daily Times in 2004, stating that Obiorah who was never party to any of the rigorous but transparent privatisation process that led to their purchase and full payment of Daily Times has been fighting dirty to acquire the properties of the company in collusion with some elements in Nigeria, this time, its hierarchy.

The petition reads:‘’Combat this illegality, high level of unprofessionalism and in view of an extant detrimental act being perpetrated by Messer IkechukwuObiora, KaluOnuoha and others which if not restrained at this time and these men called to order, may escalate into a quagmire capable of ruining the perception of the profession, causing great injustice, loss of business and an act that can only be described as an abuse of court process in impunity.”

“My Lord Sir, we wish to bring to your notice that the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) advertised for sale among other assets of the Federal Government Daily Times of Nigeria Plc for privatisation which we bided for and at the end of a very competitive bid emerged as the preferred bidder and went ahead to pay the required fee for the purchase of 233,754,840 ordinary shares of the company at the sum of #1,250,000,000 (One Billion Two Hundred and Fifty Million Naira Only) in full payment of the above shares to the BPE, receipts of payment to that effect issued by the BPE on behalf of the Federal Government and the cover letter that accompanied them, the Share Sale and Purchase Agreement signed between BPE on behalf of the Federal Government and the Deed of Transfer are hereby attached and rightly marked as Annexures 1a– 1e, 2 and 3.

“Ikechukwu Obiora and his cohorts in 2010 file a criminal charge against us for frivolous issues that were purely civil, the then Inspector General of Police, IGP Onovo, directed that the matter be referred to the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice, and he further found that the case was purely civil in nature after due consideration of the DPP’s report on the matter. The letter of directive from the IGP and the subsequent report of the committee set up by the Honourable Attorney – General of the Federation on the above issue are also hereby attached and marked as Annexures 5 and 6 respectively.

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