The independent panel investigating violations of rights by defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other police units set up by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), on Friday, directed the police to produce evidence that a petition has taken before the National Assembly instead of being emotional in their defence before it.
The panel directed the police to present certified true copies of proceedings from the National Assembly public petition in the case of alleged extrajudicial killing of one Kennedy Yusuf, rather than trying to persuade the panel to accept their (police) oral submission.
A retired Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Mamman Danladi had petitioned the panel alleging extrajudicial killing of his nephew, Kennedy Yusuf, against the police.
At the resumed hearing of the petition today, a member of the panel who stood in for the chairman, Justice Suleiman Galadima (retd), Dr Garba Tetengi SAN told the police legal team that they should not insist that the panel should accept their oral submission without proving documentary evidence.
“Mind your language. This is a panel constituted by the Federal Government of Nigeria. Therefore, you should mind how you conduct yourself before it and stop being emotional.
“The police cannot insist that the panel should accept an oral submission, you rather provide documented evidence, let the panel work with it,” Dr Tetengi told the police.
This followed the disclosure by the police lead counsel, James Idachaba, that DSP Danladi (retd) had gone to file the same matter before the National Assembly public petition, adding that the petitioner told the National Assembly that though the case was before the panel, he was not satisfied with the proceedings.
Idachaba also told the panel that the petitioner’s conduct was a total abuse of process and therefore urged the panel to dismiss the petition with ignominy.
However, the panel admitted into evidence some documents dated July 12, 2021, which the complainant was relying upon to prove his case against the police and adjourned the matter to November 22 for defence.
Danladi had on February 15, 2021 while testifying before the 11-man panel sought compensation for his family over the alleged extrajudicial killing of his nephew, adding that though the family was handicapped, it wanted perpetrators of his nephew’s murder to be brought to justice.
He informed that the late Yusuf was arrested on January 10, 2007 by policemen from the Jikwoyi police station in Abuja on the allegation of stealing two bags of cement and severely beaten during interrogation till the deceased lost consciousness.
According to him, the 25-year-old student of Plateau State Polytechnic, Barkin Ladi, was hale and hearty as of the time he was arrested.
The retired police officer added that his nephew was left in an unconscious state for hours before he was taken to POGBA Clinic and Maternity at Jikwoyi, where he was dumped without medical attention.
He told the panel that being a retired police officer, he knew that the law did not allow the torture of suspects by police.
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