The Lagos State Judicial Panel on Restitution for victims of SARS has summoned the pathologist at the State’s University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, simply identified as Dr. Abang.
Its Chairman, Justice Doris Okuwobi granted the request for the summons at the instance of the police counsel, Cyril Ejiofor.
Dr Abang is expected to appear before the panel on the next adjourned date, friday next week to testify about the autopsy conducted on late inspector Ayodeji Erinfolami.
Until his death, Inspector Erinfolami was a police inspector, serving in the Anti-Cultism and Kidnapping unit, Area C, Surulere.
In a petition before the judicial panel, Mrs Erinfolami said her husband was killed while the police were trying to quell the #EndSARS protest at Surulere area of Lagos on October 12, 2020.
The counsel to the family, Gbemiga Ogunleye, at a previous sitting had told the panel that the inspector was shot when the police tried to stop the protest aggressively.
Today, the counsel told the panel that he has since learnt that an autopsy had been conducted on the late inspector, details of which were unknown to the family.
This prompted the police counsel, Cyril Ejiofor to ask the panel to summon the pathologist at LASUTH, Dr Abang to appear before the panel to testify about the autopsy he was
FSARS collected N3.2 million naira from me for committing no crime – petitioner alleges at Lagos panel
The Lagos State judicial panel on restitution for victims of SARS related abuses and other matters continued sitting in Lagos by conducting hearings into petitioners cases brought before it.
In the first case of the day involving Hannah Olugbodi vs the federal special anti robbery squad (FSARS), the petitioner counsel informed the panel that he has filed his written address but has not been served the respondent address of which the police counsel apologized for reasons he termed administrative issues, he then applied for an adjournment to tomorrow to enable him do the needful.
Ruling, on the matter,Justice Doris Okuwobi (Rtd.) echoed the agreement between counsels and adjourned adoption of addresses till 22nd January 2021
In the second petition of the day of Obochi Micheal Owoicho vs the Nigeria Police force
The petitioner counsel informs the panel that he wants the Nigeria Air force to be joined as a party in the suit and that he has written and submitted an application in this regard to the panel on the 16th of January, 2021. But the panel counters that it doesn’t have any such application in it’s custody and the panel counsel states that what was submitted was an application for the Nigeria Air force to be summoned as a witness and not as a party.
The panel informs the petitioner counsel that for any case to proceed, all parties must be duly notified and present, but that this is not the case in the present circumstances. The petitioner counsel apologized and promised to do the needful with regards for an application to join the Nigeria Air force as a party in the petition. Subsequently, the panel adjourned the matter to 6th February, 2021
In the third case of the day involving Ezeh Nnamdi Diendonne vs federal special anti robbery squad (FSARS), the petitioner gave his evidence in chief on how operatives of FSARS stormed his residence on 10th September, 2013, assaulted, brutalized and arrested him and seized N700, 000 which he meant to travel with on a business trip to Imo state.
He also narrated how two days after the invasion of his residence, the same FSARS operative took him to his bank in Uganda and made him transfer N2million naira into an account of theirs and he was forced to withdraw additional N500, 000 naira from same bank and give to them. Petitioner stated that in all, FSARS operatives from Adeniji Adele police station in 2013 collected N3.2 million naira from him before he was released without being told why he was detained for 3 days nor charged to court for any offence. He implored the panel to help him get justice.
Under cross-examination, the petitioner claimed not to have reported the matter to official quarters since 2013 because he was traumatized. The police counsel then sought an adjournment to enable him call a witness and he was not opposed. The petitioner counsel also sought to call a witness to corroborate the petitioner evidence in chief and the panel requested for the particulars of persons to be called so that they can be properly summoned. The panel then adjourned the matter to 9th February, 2021
In the fourth petition of the day in the case of Afolabi Oladele vs the Nigeria police force, the petitioner is present, but the NBA counsel then informed the panel that the petitioner wrote to the NBA requesting it to oblige him it’s pro bono legal services and he asked for an adjournment to enable him study the case, but the police counsel opposed the application on the grounds that the basis of the incident of the petition occurred in Abuja and not Lagos.
But the petitioner counsel asked for the application to be dismissed and the matter heard on its merits to determine it’s competence. The panel then adjourned the matter to 29th January, 2021 for a reply of the jurisdictional issue raised by the respondent.
In the fifth case of the day involving Adebayo Yinka Austin vs Federal special anti robbery squad (FSARS), the petitioner gave his evidence in chief of how on 28th September 2017, he was arrested, detained and brutalized by SARS operatives at Ikeja SARS office for an offence he never committed but on the suspicion that he might have a link with the alledged offender.
According to the petitioner, he was released 3 days later after he was forced to pay N30, 000 naira for bail. He claimed he was extorted of another N10, 000 naira by his IPO Sergeant Micheal Omogede before he finally let him go and released his car. The petitioner is demanding justice and monetary compensation.
Under cross-examination by the police counsel, the petitioner claimed he didn’t lodge an official complaint over the incident of September 2017, but sought to call a witness to corroborate his testimony. However, the panel adjourned the matter to 6th of February, 2021 for continuation of hearing.
In the sixth petition of the day involving Afeez Mojeed vs federal special anti robbery squad (FSARS), the petitioner continued with his evidence in chief of how the OC SARS Ikeja Abba Kyari and his team withdrew over N849, 000 naira from his bank account from 20th October, 2014, leaving a negative balance of N100+ while he was in their detention.
He then told the panel that the OC SARS Abba Kyari and his team made him do a transfer of N42 million to an account, seized 32 items worth about N1.8 million naira and his car worth N2.5 million naira. He also produced copies of court proceedings of N5 million naira awarded in his favour for illegal detection and tendered it among other documents which were admitted and marked as exhibits.
The petitioner is demanding justice and the return of the seized items or their monetary worth as compensation.
Under cross-examination by the police counsel, petitioner claimed that Yusuf Balogun is his cousin, friend and business associates in the estate business. He claims that he receives 20% of every money paid into his account by his business associates and friends.
The panel then adjourned the matter to 9th February, 2021.
In the seventh petition of the day in the case of Emeka Sunday Jato and Azubuike Jato vs federal special anti robbery squad (FSARS), the NBA counsel informs the panel that he was just approached this morning by the petitioner and so is seeking an adjournment to enable him study the case, the application is not opposed, thereafter the panel adjourned the matter to 5th February, 2021 for hearing.
In the eight petition of the day involving the family of Miss Jessica Adeobi vs federal special anti robbery squad FSARS and Emmanuel Ajomafuwe vs the Nigeria police force, the first case counsel sought the consolidation of both cases since they arose from the same incident,w which occurred in 2019 and due to no objection, the panel consolidated both cases.
In the first case, the petitioner and respondent counsels both closed their cases, but in the second case, the petitioner tendered a flash drive which contained video footage of the incident and it was admitted as exhibit and later played based on the request of the petitioner counsel.
During cross-examination by the police counsel, the petitioner in the latter case stated that he was shot in the back of the head by a police man Inspector Daniel Ojo attached to Trinity police station, Olodi Apapa, and that when he lost consciousness, but that when he regained consciousness, he drove himself to the hospital where he was operated upon.
However, the police counsel informed the panel that the indicted police man has been declared wanted, his bank account frozen and promised that the police will ensure justice in the matter.
The police counsel then sought for a summons against the medical director of the hospital where the petitioner claimed he was operated upon and the panel directed the respondent counsel to provide necessary address of the medical director to be summoned, which the police counsel promised to provide.
The panel noted that due to the fact that both the petitioner and respondent counsels have closed their case with regards to the first petition, the panel ought to have directed them to file their written addressees, but due to the fact that the second matter had not yet been concluded, the panel then adjourned the matter to 9th February, 2021.