How Comfort Emmanson Can Win Case Against Ibom Air – Deji Adeyanju

Legal practitioner and human rights activist Deji Adeyanju has explained how Comfort Emmanson, a passenger involved in an altercation with crew members on an Ibom Air flight, can potentially win her case.

Emmanson was placed on the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON)’s “no-fly” list following the incident and has been charged in court.

Emmanson was accused of assaulting a flight attendant, Juliana Edward, by stepping on her foot and slapping her.

She was also alleged to have assaulted another crew member, Jokpame Sajun, by striking her in the face with a pair of slippers.

Additionally, Emmanson was alleged to have torn the curtain separating Business Class from Economy and seized a fire extinguisher in an attempt to attack others.

Adeyanju suggested that Emmanson’s lawyers should get witnesses who were on the plane to counter these allegations in court.

In a post on Facebook, Adeyanju said, “This approach he said could help build a defence by providing alternative accounts of what happened during the incident.

“The allegations against Comfort, the Ibom passenger thrown off the flight are:
-allegedly assaulted Juliana Edward a flight attendant by stepping on her foot and slapping her.
-allegedly assaulted another crew member, Jokpame Sajun ‘f’, by striking her in the face with a pair of slippers.
-allegedly tearing the curtain separating Business Class from Economy;
-allegedly seizing a fire extinguisher in an attempt to attack others.

“Her lawyers should get witnesses who were on the plane who can counter all these allegations in court. This is how to help her not saying I was on the plane and this is not the whole story.”

The Lagos Airport Police Command arraigned Emmanson before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court on five counts bordering on assault, disorderly conduct, and wilful destruction of property on Monday.

The police said she was arraigned on five-count charges bordering on assault and improper conduct.

They alleged that Bob behaved in a disorderly manner by shouting on top of her voice, abusing and assaulting flight crew members, and refusing to disembark after landing, in violation of Section 4(1)(a) and punishable under Section 4(2) of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Bye Law, 2005.

Count two states “That you Comfort Bob ‘f’, on the same date, time and place, in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did assault one Juliana Edward ‘f’ by slapping and hitting her cheeks with your right hand and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 170 (1) (a) (b) and punishable under section 172 of the criminal law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”

In count 3 the police alleged “That you Comfort Bob ‘f’, on the same date and place, at about 14:50hrs, in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did assault one Jokpame Sagun ‘f’ by hitting her face with your slippers and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 170 (1) (a) (b) and punishable under section 172 of the criminal law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”

The police also alleged that she “willfully damaged the aircraft divider cotton valued two thousand five hundred U.S Dollars ($2,500), belonging to Ibom Airline and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 350 of the criminal laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”

She was also alleged to have “willfully damaged one braided wig by dragging and tearing the wig valued one hundred and ten thousand naira (#110,000), belonging to Juliana Comfort ‘f and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 350 of the criminal laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”

When the charges were read to her, she pleaded not guilty to all counts.

Presiding Magistrate O. O. Salami ordered her to be remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre pending further proceedings, which were adjourned to October 6.

How Comfort Emmanson Can Win Case Against Ibom Air – Deji Adeyanju is first published on The Whistler Newspaper