A High Court in Edo State, sitting in Benin City, has struck out the criminal charge brought against Douglas Ogbankwa Esq., former Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Benin Branch.
The case was dismissed following a nolle prosequi filed by the Attorney General of Edo State in Charge No. B/CD/60C/2025, dated August 4, 2025. The application to discontinue the prosecution was moved by Mrs. Stella Okojie, Director in the Edo State Ministry of Justice, alongside other lawyers. Ogbankwa, who represented himself, did not oppose the motion.
Presiding Judge, Hon. Justice Helen Ogbevoen, subsequently struck out the case, bringing to an end an 18-month legal battle between the State and the lawyer.
Ogbankwa had been facing charges of conspiracy to commit felony, forcible entry, wilful damage, theft, forceful ejection, and aiding and abetting forceful ejection.
In the charge marked B/CD/60C/2024, the state alleged that in January 2023, at 2nd Ugbor Road, GRA, Benin, Ogbankwa and others at large damaged door keys belonging to Ms. Sandra Palmer-Kelvin. The prosecution also accused him of stealing a stabiliser from Palmer-Kelvin and forcefully ejecting her from her matrimonial home. The offences were said to be punishable under Sections 412, 56(1), 353, and 294(1) of the Criminal Law of Edo State, 2022, as well as Section 14(3) of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law of Edo State, 2021.
Reacting to the court’s ruling, Douglas Ogbankwa Esq. declared that he had been vindicated, insisting the charges were politically motivated under the previous administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki.
“The law has eventually taken its course and justice is served in this matter,” he said, adding that the outcome reaffirmed the principle that no one should be unjustly persecuted.
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