This is a report of the fifty-sixth public hearing of the Oyo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry into Police Brutality, Violation of Rights of Citizens and Unlawful Killings in Oyo State.
Venue: The House of Chiefs, Oyo State House of Assembly, Ibadan, Oyo State.
Date: Thursday, June 17, 2021.
Today’s sitting commenced at about 9:44am, shortly after the arrival of the Oyo State Judicial Panel members.
Petitions for Further Hearing at the Oyo State Judicial Panel
1. Case No. OYJPPB/025
Alhaji Ganiyu Ajiboye v Oyo State Police Command. The petitioner was present and was represented by Kingsley Ike (Esq.). Meanwhile, the respondent was represented by Mr M. A. Ojeah.
The petition was last adjourned to enable the respondent open his defence. However, Mr Ojeah, the respondent’s counsel prayed the Oyo State Judicial Panel for an adjournment.
He said that the petitioner’s counsel, Mr Kingsley served the relevant documents on him last night and there was a need for him to go through the documents as well as file the necessary response.
With that, the petition was adjourned by the Oyo State Judicial Panel till June 29, 2021 to enable the respondent open a defence unfailingly.
2. Case No. OYJPPB/007
Mr Olayiwola Oyedokun v Nigeria Police, Bodija Police Station and Iyana-Offa Police Station. The petitioner was present and was represented by Abiodun Akinmoyo (Esq.). and B. O Olatunji. While Mr M. A. Ojeah appeared on behalf of the respondent.
The petition was last adjourned to enable the petitioner’s counsel, Mr Akinmoyo present his last two witnesses before the Oyo State Judicial Panel. With that, the fourth witness, Yetunde Oyedokun was invited to the witness stand and was sworn on the Bible.
She lives at Akobo, Ibadan. She is the petitioner’s daughter. She prayed the Oyo State Judicial Panel to adopt her written statement on oath dated June 16, 2021 as her evidence.
She said that she was not present when the police arrested her father but was informed about the incident on phone. She said that in a bid to ensure that her father was released from the police custody, the family contributed the sum of N10,000 which was handed to the Investigating Police Officer, Timothy Obafaye by her sister, Wuraola.
The witness was cross examined by Mr Ojeah, the respondent’s counsel and members of the Oyo State Judicial Panel. The fifth witness was thereafter invited to the witness stand and was sworn on the Bible.
The name of the fifth witness is Wuraola Oyedokun. She lives at Akobo, Ibadan. She prayed the Oyo State Judicial Panel to adopt her written statement on oath which she deposed on the 16th of June, 2021 as her evidence.
She said that the petitioner is her father. She said that she was not present when the police arrested her father but however went to the police station to check up on him.
She said that she was the one who handed the sum of N10,000 to the Investigating Police Officer, Timothy Obafaye in the presence of her sister, Yetunde Oyedokun.
The witness was cross examined by the respondent’s counsel, Mr Ojeah and members of the Oyo State Judicial Panel after which the petitioner closed his case.
With that, the petition was adjourned by the Oyo State Judicial Panel till June 29, 2021 to enable the respondent open a defence unfailingly.
3. Case No. OYJPPB/091
Mr Alamu Toheeb v Nigeria Police, Eleyele Police Station. The petitioner was present and was represented by A. B. Ademiluwa (Esq.). Meanwhile, Mr M. A. Ojeah maintained appearance on behalf of the respondent.
The petition was last adjourned to enable the respondent open a defence. Mr Ojeah, the respondent’s counsel said that he would present only one relevant witness before the Oyo State Judicial Panel. With that, the witness was invited to the witness stand and was sworn on the Bible.
The name of the witness is Inspector Adebayo Adesola Waheed. He prayed the Oyo State Judicial Panel to adopt his written statement on oath which he deposed on the 11th of June, 2021 as his evidence.
The witness said that the allegation against him, that he shot the petitioner on the 11th of October, 2017 is untrue. The witness said he knew the petitioner before the incident.
He said that he traveled to Abuja on special duty on October 12, 2017 and there is a daily order to that effect. He said that he does not have the petitioner’s phone number and he did not call him after the incident.
When asked, he said he does not know Mr Femi Oluwadare, an officer attached to the State Criminal Investigating Department. He said that he did not record any caution statement as regards the shooting of the petitioner.
The witness was then cross examined by the petitioner’s counsel, Mr Ademiluwa and the members of the Oyo State Judicial Panel.
However, the petitioner’s counsel, Mr Ademiluwa pointed out that he could deduce from the witness’s written statement on oath that Mr Femi Oluwadare is the IPO involved in the matter. He therefore prayed the Oyo State Judicial Panel to issue and serve a witness summon on Mr Femi Oluwadare.
The petition was thereafter adjourned till June 29, 2021 to enable the Mr Ojeah present Mr Femi Oluwadare as a witness and the daily order with which Inspector Adesola Adebayo was asked to go to Abuja for a special duty.
The Oyo State Judicial Panel also ordered that a witness summon should be issued and served on Honorable Bosun Ajuwon.
Having gone through the proceedings for today, the hearing was brought to a close at about 12:15pm.