The following article was first published in the Trinidad And Tobago Newsday on Wednesday 6th March, 2019.
You can read the entire article on their website HERE.
A Nigerian man detained at the Immigration Detention Centre (IDC) since 2015 has sued the State for malicious prosecution, false imprisonment and assault after he was charged with escaping lawful custody.
Kennedy Leckwachi, 42, is seeking compensation and filed his lawsuit at the Supreme Court.
He is represented by attorneys Matthew Gayle and Crystal Paul of New City Chambers.
According to his claim, Leckwachi was arrested by immigration in January 2015, and was told he would face a special inquiry. Since his arrest, he has been detained at the Maximum Security Prison in Arouca, the Santa Rosa Correctional Facility and the IDC, where he is now.
His lawsuit said in September 2015, there was a fire at IDC and detainees were evacuated, but he was approached by police close to the facility and shot without provocation or cause, even though he said he got on his knees and begged the police not to shoot him.
The lawsuit said he was then assaulted, beaten and dragged away by police and eventually charged with escaping lawful custody. These charges were dismissed on Friday by a magistrate who upheld a further no-case submission on Leckwachi’s behalf.
Leckwachi’s lawyers had also filed a judicial review claim challenging the magistrate’s failure to uphold the first no-case submission and were granted permission to pursue his claim.
On Friday, the magistrate upheld the second no-case submission and dismissed the charges against Lechwachi.
His lawsuit contends he has suffered pain, injury, loss and damage.
