SULEIMAN GALADIMA, J.C.A.:(Delivering the Leading Judgment): The respondents herein sued the appellants as defendants at the Port Harcourt High Court of Rivers State, jointly and severally for the sum of N30,000,000.00(Thirty Million Naira) being and representing aggravated damages for acts of false imprisonment by the appellants by directing and procuring the police to arrest and detain the respondents on two occasions for the same allegation of hiring seven assassins to kill the appellants which allegation the appellants ought to have known to be false.
On 15/5/1995, the learned trial Judge Olukole (J) entered judgment against the appellants in favour of the respondents based on their statement of claim without hearing evidence, relying on Order 17 rule 4 of the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 1987 and aggravated damages in favour of the respondents in the sum of N6.000.000.00 (Six Million Naira).
On 9th March 1999, the learned trial Judge dismissed a motion on notice to set asid…