London A former staff of the Nigerian High Commission has filed a suit against the Scotland Yard for raiding his London home after police suspected it was a cannabis factory.
Ikechukwu Nwokike, the former Minister and head of political affairs at the High Commission, and his family are suing the Metropolitan Police for £250,000, claiming that officers twice entered their home illegally, causing distress.
Scotland Yard has apologized for raiding the house in Barnett in 2010 after it was suspected of being a cannabis factory when a police helicopter’s thermal camera picked up high heat level coming from the roof.
However, officers found that the diplomat had turned up the heater because the families were cold.
On a second occasion, less than a month later, the Met said that the officers investigating a murder entered the house after noticing the garden gate, front door and a window were open and feared that it was being burgled.
The family claims officers were discovered going through documents in Mr./Mrs. Nwokike’s bedroom.
Court papers lodged with the High court say that officers involved in the first raid noted that the house had screened windows, a CCTV camera and a shabby appearance. Mr. Nwokike says the premises have CCTV as they are diplomatic mission and are not shabby.
Mr Nwokike and his wife were not present at home during the first raid but their sons Emmanuel and Onyekachukwu were handcuffed and their teenage daughter Shirley hid upstairs and allegedly tried to jump out of a window to escape the officers.
The family who are thought to be back in Nigeria, say that because the home was a diplomatic residence, the raid was unlawful even though police had a warrant.
They are claiming reputation all damage, which Mr Nwokike says led to his earning less on his retirement, and a traumatic stress disorder.
In his defence, the Met admits officers illegally “trespassed” on both occasions, but claims this was done in good faith. It admits that the Diplomatic Privileges Act 1964 made the property “inviolable”, but points out that otherwise” the actions of the police officers described…. would have been lawful”.
At the time, the Met and the Foreign Office apologised and the Met says error warrant” nominal damages” because the illegality of its actions had been admitted and an apology made. The force says that the family initially demanded £1.6 million in compensation. The Met said it was contesting the claim and the action was still ongoing.
