Mr. Etim claimed that three able-bodied men, who may have been Mr. Okon’s bodyguards, stood by to watch as the former senator kept slapping him. “When he finished slapping me, he accused me of stealing his wallet. But God knows I am not a thief, I sell newspapers to take care of myself and my family,” Mr. Etim had told our reporter in November, shortly after the incident. “He didn’t even search me to see if I had his wallet on me or not.” The victim, backed by the Newspaper Distributors Association of Nigeria, Akwa Ibom State chapter, filed a civil suit against the former senator. “I didn’t really think of reporting the case to the police; I wanted it sorted out in court,” said the vendor. The court, presided over by Justice Winifred Effiong, held that the action of the former senator was degrading, and that it was against Mr. Etim’s right to the dignity of his person as guaranteed by Section 34(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as well as the African Charter on human and people’s right. The court, besides granting an order that Mr. Okon should pay N100,000 as damages to Mr. Etim, also granted an order of perpetual injunction, restraining the former senator or his agents from further breaching of the applicant’s fundamental human rights. It also ordered the former senator to pay additional N50, 000 as cost of the litigation to Mr. Etim. “I am glad that the court has been bold enough to tell the senator that what he did against me was wrong,” Mr. Etim told our reporter. “It’s not about the money.” When contacted, the former senator, Mr. Okon, said he was yet to get a copy of the court judgment. Mr. Etim was represented in the case by Ndianabasi Udofia, while Mr. Okon was represented by Esther Archibong. PREMIUM TIMES]]>

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