The independent investigative panel on rights violations by the defunct SARS and other police units, on Wednesday, ordered the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Legal in the Force headquarters to appear before it with the case file of one John Emeka Alozie.
The chairman of the 11-man panel set up by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Justice Suleiman Galadima (retd) gave the order at the resumed hearing of a petition, marked 2020/IIP/-SARS/ABJ/73, filed by Mrs Nnenna John, alleging arbitrary arrest and detention of her husband, John Emeka Alozie, by SARS.
The panel further ordered three police officers, Inspectors Obiazo and Uzo Emeana both of defunct SARS Awkuzu, Anambra State and Inspector Jeff.
The panel’s order followed police: failure to comply with its previous five orders in respect of getting the necessary police respondents and documents that would assist it to unravel the truth concerning Alozie’s whereabouts.
While making the order, Justice Galadima (retd) declared that all the earlier orders made by the panel in respect of the petition remained subsist.
According to the retired Supreme Court jurist, “The Deputy Commissioner of Police Legal owes the nation an explanation in this matter.”
Prior to making the order, the panel had stood down the petition for 30 minutes to enable its led counsel, Chino Obiagwu SAN and police counsel, Kenneth Egbochua to contact the DCP Legal and Mr Obiazo SARS Awkuzu, Anambra State, Mr Uzo Emeana SARS, Awkuzu, Anambra State and Sunday Okpe, who are first, second and third respondents respectively, in the petition.
Obiagwu later informed that he, Egbochua in company with the panel secretary, Hillary Ogbonna, called DCP Legal but he did not pick the calls, adding that they then called ACP Asuquo, who was a member of the legal team that investigated the matter.
According to him, Asuquo confirmed that he had knowledge of the case, adding that the case file was in the office of the DCP Legal, who Asuquo was quoted to have said could help the panel if he wanted to do so.
Earlier, the member representing g the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on the panel, John Aikpokpo Martins, had expressed dismay over what he referred to as unprofessional conduct on the part of the police.
He stated this when Egbuchua refused to cross-examine Mrs John despite the fact that the matter was slated for cross-examination and defence, saying that he did not have the facts of the matter and so could not cross-examine the petitioner.
Mrs John had at a previous sitting told the panel that she was arrested at their home at Lekki, Lagos, on June 15, 2017, at about 7. 30a.m by six armed men later identified to be SARS officers from Awkuzu, Anambra State.
She alleged that the SARS operatives ransacked their bedroom and went away with some of their personal belongings, mainly certificates and other documents, some money in the house as well as keys to their two cars, Lexus and Ford, packed in their compound.
She further alleged that ASP Obiozor collected all the phones of the family members at gunpoint to stop them from making a distress call, adding that SARS refused her and her counsel access to see her husband and they never charged him to court.
Meanwhile, the panel has adjourned the petition sine die (indefinitely), even as Justice Galadima assured the petitioner and indeed all Nigerians that justice would be done in the matter.
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