Court Reserves Judgement On NDLEA's Appeal On Baba Suwe's N25m Payment

Judge of a Court of Appeal in Lagos, Justice Chima Nweze has reserved judgment on the appeal brought before the court by the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over the N25million compensation a Lagos court ordered it to pay Yoruba comic actor, Babatunde Omidina, popularly known as Baba Suwe. 

At the hearing of the appeal yesterday, Thursday, April 18, 2013, counsels of both parties argued before the court on the appeal. 

While counsel to Baba Suwe, Bamidele Aturu, urged the appellate court to uphold the judgment of the lower court, counsel to the NDLEA counsel, Femi Oloruntoba prayed that the Court of Appeal sets aside judgement of the lower court. 

After hearing the arguments of both counsels, Justice Nweze reserved judgement on the case. The judge said a date for judgment of the matter would be communicated to the counsels of the two parties. 

In October 2011, NDLEA arrested Baba Suwe at the Lagos Airport. The actor was held for 24 days without trial on the suspicion of ingesting substances thought to be narcotic. 

In November 2011, Justice Yetunde Idowu of the Lagos High court, Ikeja, ruled that NDLEA pays the sum of N25million to Baba Suwe as damages. The anti-drug agency was also ordered to apologise to the actor on two national newspapers.