By Solomon OKPO
The Akwa Ibom State High Court, Abak Judicial Division, has sentenced a police officer, Mrs. Juliet Attah, to three months in prison for contempt of court. The officer, attached to the Abak Divisional Police Station, was found guilty of disobeying a court order to produce a tricycle she seized from a tricyclist, Mr. Elijah Alphonsus Akpan, in 2024.
Presiding over the case, Justice Eno Isangedighi ruled that Mrs. Attah be committed to the Ikot Ekpene Custodial Centre without an option of fine. The judgment followed a motion on notice filed by the applicant’s counsel, Victor Nkanang, on March 12, 2025, seeking to enforce previous court orders issued on November 18, 2024, and February 24, 2025.
The court had earlier ordered Mrs. Attah to present the tricycle, identified by registration number AFK 854 WX, within seven days. However, she failed to comply and allegedly attempted to arrest the applicant instead. Even after being served with a Form 48 notice of disobedience, she continued to disregard the directive.
In response to further defiance, the court instructed the Divisional Police Officer of Abak to produce Mrs. Attah, but both the officer and the DPO failed to appear in court. Justice Isangedighi ruled that the policewoman’s actions were a deliberate attempt to undermine the court’s authority and administration of justice.
The judge also ordered that a Certified True Copy of the committal order be forwarded to the Attorney General of Akwa Ibom State, the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State, the Police Service Commission, and the Inspector General of Police to ensure enforcement.
Joined in the suit as respondents were Victor Dickson Okon, Chief Uwemedimo Usoroh, Engineer Ephraim Asifa, Mr. Vincent Williams (Department of State Security, DSS, Uyo), Inspector Sonny (State CID, Uyo), the Director of the State Security Service, Uyo, and the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State.
The court has adjourned the substantive case to Monday, June 2, 2025, for adoption.
