This is a report of the twenty-fifth 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 Mediation Centre, Ministry of Justice Secretariat, Ibadan, Oyo State.
Date: Tuesday, March 23, 2021.
Today’s sitting commenced at about 10:05am, shortly after the arrival of the panelists.
Petitions for Mention at the Oyo State Judicial Panel
1. Case No. OYJPPB/043
Afolabi Ayodamope v The Nigeria Police Force. The petitioner was present but was not represented by a legal counsel. Meanwhile, Mr M. A. Ojeah appeared on behalf of the respondent.
Mrs Oluwafolake Ogundele, the panel’s counsel said that the petitioner was present at the last adjourned date which was March 9, 2021 but the petition was adjourned to enable the petitioner’s counsel make necessary adjustments to the petition. She added that the petitioner was at the secretariat yesterday, to submit the amended petition.
With this, the petition was adjourned by the Oyo State Judicial Panel till April 13, 2021 for definite hearing.
2. Case No. OYJPPB/048
Mr Ajao Olumide v The Nigeria Police Area Command, Ogbomoso. The petitioner was absent and was not represented by a legal counsel. Meanwhile, the respondent was represented by Mr M. A. Ojeah.
The panel’s counsel, Mrs Oluwafolake Ogundele however explained that the petitioner called yesterday to inform the panel that he won’t be available today because he had exams.
Mr Ojeah, the respondent’s counsel told the panel that the petition does not contain detailed information about the incident and this has made it impossible for him to file a response.
In view of the absence of the petitioner and his counsel, the petition was adjourned by the Oyo State Judicial Panel till April 13, 2021 for mention or striking out.
3. Case No. OYJPPB/049
Adebowale Akinrinade v The Nigeria Police, Gbagi Division. The petitioner was absent and was not represented by a legal counsel. Meanwhile, Mr M. A. Ojeah maintained appearance on behalf of the respondent.
Mrs Oluwafolake Ogundele, the petitioner’s counsel informed the panel that the petition was submitted online and the contact details of the petitioner were not included in the petition. She said that this had made it difficult for her to reach out to the petitioner. She however said that she was able to retrieve the email with which the petitioner had submitted the petition and had sent the hearing notice to the email address, but there was no response from the petitioner’s end.
With this, petition OYJPPB/049 was struck out for lack of diligent prosecution by the Oyo State Judicial Panel.
4. Case No. OYJPPB/093
Mr Olatunde Gbenga v The Nigeria Police, Ojoo Police Station. The petitioner was present and was represented by Babatunde Oni (Esq.). Meanwhile, the respondent was represented by Mr M. A. Ojeah.
The respondent’s counsel, Mr Ojeah said that he had been served but was yet to file a response because the petition is titled “letter of financial assistance for Mr Gbenga” and was addressed to the governor.
The petitioner was a 22year old man who was shot by a stray bullet fired by an unknown police officer during the #EndSARS protest which took place last year. The victim has been unable to go back to school due to the incident because he was admitted at UCH from October 20, 2020 till February 4, 2021.
The panel ordered that the petition be renamed as Olatunde Gbenga seeking for medical and financial assistance since the petition does not involve any particular police officer.
The petition was therefore adjourned till April 7, 2021 for definite hearing. The Oyo State Judicial Panel ordered that all necessary documents relevant to the petition be made available at the next adjourned date.
Petitions for Hearing at the Oyo State Judicial Panel
5. Case No. OYJPPB/056
The Family of Kehinde Omotosho v The Nigeria Police, CID Ibadan. The family was represented by Ademola Omotosho and Toyese Owoade (Esq.). Mr M. A. Ojeah appeared on behalf of the respondent.
Mr Ojeah, the respondent’s counsel told the panel that the petitioner’s counsel served him with an amended copy of the petition this morning, and he would need time to file a response to the petition.
With this, the petition was adjourned till April 15, 2021 for definite hearing. The Oyo State Judicial Panel also ordered that the parties involved should file the necessary responses before the next adjourned date.
6. Case No. OYJPPB/076
The Family of Gbolahan Samuel Adedoyin v Operation Burst. The petitioner’s representative was absent but his counsel, A. T. Onikosi (Esq.) was present. Mr Kayode K. Babalola appeared on behalf of the respondent.
The petitioner’s counsel, A. T. Onikosi (Esq.) explained that he could not give a specific reason for the absence of the petitioner’s representative because it was unusual.
In view of the absence of the petitioner’s representative, the petition was adjourned by the Oyo State Judicial Panel till April 28, 2021 for definite hearing.
7. Case No. OYJPPB/080
Mr Erinola David Oluwaponmile v Operation Burst. The petitioner was present but was not represented by a legal counsel. The petitioner told the panel that his counsel was unable to appear before the panel today because he was indisposed. Meanwhile, the respondent was represented by Mr Kayode K. Babalola.
The petitioner said that the governor reached out to him through the Commissioner for Youth, Seun Fakorede because he had posted what happened to him on Twitter and the post had gone viral. He said that after meeting with the commissioner, he was directed to submit his petition before the Oyo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry.
The respondent’s counsel, Mr Babalola told the by the Oyo State Judicial Panel that he had been served but was yet to file a response.
The petition was adjourned till April 21, 2021 for definite hearing to enable the respondent file a response. The Oyo State Judicial Panel also stated that this would give enough time for the petitioner’s counsel to be be well enough to appear before the panel.
8. Case No. OYJPPB/081
Emenike Bakosi v Operation Burst. The petitioner was present and was represented by Babatunde Oni (Esq.). Meanwhile, Mr Kayode K. Babalola appeared on behalf of the respondent.
Mr Babatunde Oni (Esq.), the petitioner’s counsel told the panel that the petitioner would not be able to give evidence because he cannot talk as of now. He however said that there are two other witnesses he would present before the panel due to their relevance to the petition. With this the first petitioner was invited to the witness stand and he was sworn on the Holy Bible.
The first witness was Joseph Bakosi and he lives at (redacted), Ibadan. He is a younger brother to the petitioner. He sells slippers at (redacted). He said that on the 4th of November, 2020 he was at his trading place when he saw people running up and down. He later discovered that a man was lying in a tricycle (Keke NAPEP) and the people running around said he was shot by MOPOL [Mobile Police] at prison gate. With this, he packed his wares and left the shop. He said he later called Emenike Bakosi on phone to know where he was but there was no response from his end. He said he then called the next person to him who was Ikechukwu Enusihuo. He said that immediately he picked the call, he heard an ongoing conversation that Emenike Bakosi had been shot. He said he ended the call and redialed the number. He said that Ikechukwu answered the call and told him that Emenike had been rushed to UCH [University College Hospital, Ibadan].
According to the witness, he went to UCH to see his brother, Emenike but met him at the emergency unit with a man who identified himself as an Inspector of Police. He said the inspector had told him that Emenike was shot while he was trying to purchase a sachet of water by the roadside.
He further told the panel that Emenike Bakosi was at the UCH emergency unit for seven days before he was attended to. He said he had spent close to 3.5 million Naira on his brother’s treatment.
The panel asked the petitioner if he had the documents and receipts to back up his claim but he explained that he does not have all the relevant document as at the time of the sitting, but would make them available at the next adjourned date.
With this, the petition was adjourned by the Oyo State Judicial Panel till tomorrow, March 24,2021 for further hearing to enable the petitioner regularise the petition.
Having gone through the proceedings for today, the hearing was brought to a close at about 12:13pm.