human rights, and runs contrary to Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and
the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Applicant prays that the
Defendant be ordered to ensure his release and repatriation back to Liberia.
g. And that the sum of N10, 000, 000 (Ten million Nigerian Naira) or an equivalent
of USD 60,000.00 (sixty thousand United States Dollars) as damages from the
Defendant.
3. THE DEFENDANT’S CASE.
The Defendant in answer to the Plaintiff’s claim, denied liability for all the claims
and urged the Court to dismiss same. In further answer, the defendant stated as
follows:
1- That the claims of the Plaintiff have no legal basis as it tended to mislead the Court
into believing that the Plaintiff is entitled to rights and privileges accruing to
Diplomatic Agents and Consular Officers. Furthermore that with appointment of the
Plaintiff as Consul General to Atlanta Georgia, he did not attain the status of a
Diplomatic Agent under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963 as there
was no evidence that he was carrying out his duties as such consul as at then or until
he was arrested by the United States authorities. Moreover, there is no evidence that
he was issued an exequatur.
2- That the Plaintiff surreptitiously and fraudulently obtained Liberia Diplomatic
Passport NO. 003828 out of his prison cell as there was no evidence of issue of such
passport by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Defendant. She further posited
that the passport was not renewed by the Government of Liberia under Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf as claimed by the Plaintiff.
3- That with regard to the claim by the Plaintiff that the 6th Judicial Court, civil Law
Court, Montserrado County, which declared that the Plaintiff as Consul General was
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