Judiciary

Judicial Panel: Petitioner Demands ₦10 million Compensation

By Web News 1650

A petitioner, Mrs Fatia Oseni has pleaded before the judicial panel of inquiry sitting in Ibadan to be given the sum of ₦10 million to recover the losses and damage caused by officers of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS during her arrest on June 28, 2018.

Mrs Oseni made the plea before the Justice Badejoko Adeniji Oyo State judicial panel of inquiry.

Mrs Fatia Oseni

Mrs Fatiat  Oseni stated that she was about leaving her house for work when some people approached her and started beating her. 

The petitioner further explained that she did not know those assaulting her were police officers until she asked them why they were beating her and was told she would get to know when she got to the station.

She said the police officers asked her for the owners of the cars that were parked outside her house, and she told them that it belonged to a mechanic repairing vehicles beside her house.

The petitioner further explained that the Police officers said she was lying, accused her of selling cars to thieves and started beating her mercilessly.

Mrs Oseni said she was taken to Ikeja Lagos, where she spent 6 days before a Police officer informed her that she was at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja. 

The counsel to the petitioner, Olayinka Olusanya asked to know the number of days she spent in detention.                          

The petitioner said she spent 2 weeks in detention, and was seriously beaten and assaulted. 

The petitioner added that she was not allowed to call any member of her family, but thanks to one of the officers who offered her his phone to do so.

The counsel to the petitioner, Olayinka Olusanya asked the petitioner the major injury she suffered as a result of her arrest.          

The petitioner, Mrs Oseni replied that since the incident, she had a weak knee which had affected her ability to walk properly.

The officer in charge of legal panel,  Mrs Olufolakemi Ogundele asked the petitioner what she knew about the vehicles parked at house.

 Mrs Oseni responded that she did not know anything about the vehicle.

Consequently, the panel assured the petitioner that her case would be presented to Oyo State government for compensation.

Funmilola Obagbayegun

Judiciary

Police Brutality Panel: Oyo Police Denies Receiving Hearing Notices

By Web News 596

Oyo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality has ordered the Officer in charge of Legal Department of Nigeria Police in Oyo State, Mrs Funke Fawole to compile all services from the panel and act accordingly.

The order is coming in response to the attitude of the command which has been rejecting services of hearing notices served on them.

The chairman of the panel, Retired Justice Badejoko Adeniji who gave the order at the sitting of the panel said police must respect any means of service from the panel.

Justice Adeniji frowned at refusal of police in Oyo State to cooperate with the panel.

She therefore appealed to the Officer in charge of Legal Department of the Oyo State Police Command to get all the notices dropped at office of the Commissioner of Police though, she also told the panel’s legal officer to issue fresh hearing on the police. 

Earlier, the panel’s Legal Officer, Mrs Folake Ogundele had told the panel that all efforts to serve the office of the Oyo State O/C Legal hearing notice failed as the officers there refused the services hence the need for them to take the notices to the Oyo State Commissioner of Police. 

Appearing before the panel, the Officer in Charge of Legal Department of Police in Oyo State, Mrs Funke Fawole denied receipt of services in many of the petitions called at the sitting and appealed to the panel to adjourn the hearing on the petitions.

Sunday Ogunyemi