A Nigerian, identified as Simon Mamoh, has asked the Malaysian Government for N406 million in restitution for alleged unlawful detention and deportation.
In a civil lawsuit filed in the High Court of Shah Alam on January 10, 2023, Mamoh listed the Director-General, Malaysia Immigration Department, Khairul Dzaimee Daud and three others as defendants.
The other respondents are the Malaysia Prison Department director-general, the home minister, and the government of Malaysia.
He accused the Malaysian immigration department of detaining him illegally for 40 days before ordering his deportation from Malaysia to Nigeria.
The Nigerian listed the types of compensation that he is claiming to include, RM2 million in general damages at a rate of RM50,000 for each day of his unlawful detention, from March 15, 2021, until his release on April 23, 2021.
A local Malaysian online platform, Malaymail, reported that Mamoh also sought RM1 million in damages for pain, suffering, emotional distress, and mental anguish, exemplary damages totaling RM1 million, and special damages of RM3,925.31, all totaling about N406 million (current exchange rate).
The lawsuit has reportedly been scheduled for case management at the High Court in Shah Alam on February 9, 2023.
Pulse reports that Nigerians have in recent years become victims of illegal detention in the Southeast Asian country.
Recall that in 2019, a Nigerian Ph.D. student, Orhions Ewansiha Thomas, suffered a seizure and died while in custody in Malaysia after being detained for 14 days, despite having a valid student pass.