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Justice for 16-Year-Old Victim at the Oyo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry – Day 42

This is a report of the forty-second 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: Wednesday, May 5, 2021.

Today’s sitting commenced at about 9:19am, 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/007

Mr Olayiwola Oyedokun v Nigeria Police, Bodija Police Station and Iyana-Offa Police Station. The petitioner was present but was not represented by a legal counsel. The respondent was represented by Mr M. A. Ojeah and Mrs B. K. Olorukooba.

The petitioner stated that his counsel had written a letter to the Oyo State Judicial Panel to pray for an adjournment because he was indisposed.

The letter was presented before the Oyo State Judicial Panel and the petition was adjourned till May 25, 2021 for further hearing.

2. Case No. OYJPPB/018

The Family of Late Mrs Sakirat Olaegbe v Commissioner of Police, Oyo State. The family was represented by Waheed Olaegbe and a legal counsel, Olumide Ojedokun (Esq.). Meanwhile, Mr M. A. Ojeah and Mrs B. K. Olorukooba maintained appearances on behalf of the respondent.

Mr Ojeah, the respondent’s counsel stated that the petition was adjourned to enable him open a defence but the matter would not go on because his witness was not available. He therefore prayed the Oyo State Judicial Panel for a final adjournment, to enable him open his defence.

The petition was thereby adjourned by the Oyo State Judicial Panel till May 25, 2021 for further hearing.

3. Case No. OYJPPB/035

Mr Muraina Kadiri Adeyemi v The Nigeria Police, Iyaganku. The petitioner was absent and was not represented by a legal counsel. Meanwhile, Mr M. A. Ojeah and Mrs B. K. Olorukooba appeared on behalf of the respondent.

The petition was last adjourned on the 14th of April, 2021 and petitioner’s counsel was informed on the phone yesterday that the petition was slated for today. However, the petitioner and his counsel were not present before the Oyo State Judicial Panel.

The petition was therefore adjourned till May 19, 2021 for further hearing. The Oyo State Judicial Panel ordered that fresh hearing notices should be issued and served on the petitioner and his counsel.

4. Case No. OYJPPB/043

Mr Afolabi Ayodamope v The Nigeria Police Force. The petitioner was present but was not represented by a legal counsel. Meanwhile, the respondent was represented by Mr M. A. Ojeah and Mrs B. K. Olorukooba.

The petitioner told the Oyo State Judicial Panel that the petition was last adjourned to enable his aunt, who treated him after he was released from the police custody, appear as a witness. He however said that his aunt was present earlier today but had to leave because she received an emergency phone call from the clinic.

With this, the petition was adjourned by the Oyo State Judicial Panel

 till May 25, 2021 for further hearing.

5. Case No. OYJPPB/066

Mr Jurgen Johnson v SARS, Dugbe Ibadan. The petitioner was absent and was not represented by a legal counsel. Meanwhile, Mr M. A. Ojeah and Mrs B. K. Olorukooba maintained appearances on behalf of the respondent.

Mrs Oluwafolake Ogundele, the counsel to the Oyo State Judicial Panel said that the case was opened on the 9th of March, 2021 and the petitioner was ordered to present some documents before the panel on the 14th of April, 2021, which is the last adjourned date. She however pointed out that the petitioner was absent at the last adjourned date without any explanation. She further said that the petitioner was called on the phone yesterday to remind him of today’s sitting and he didn’t say he was going to be absent.

The petition was therefore adjourned till May 19, 2021 for further hearing or striking out.

Petitions for Hearing at the Oyo State Judicial Panel

6. Case No. OYJPPB/028

Mr Faluade Dare v The Officers, Ojoo Police Station. The petitioner was present and was represented by O. I. Falana (Esq). While the respondent was represented by Mr M. A. Ojeah and Mrs B. K. Olorukooba.

The petitioner’s counsel, Mr Falana told the Oyo State Judicial Panel that the petitioner was the only relevant witness to the petition. With that, the petitioner was invited to the witness stand and was sworn on the Bible.

The name of the petitioner is Faluade Dare Alabi. He lives at Moniya. He is a butcher. He prayed the Oyo State Judicial Panel to adopt the written statement on oath which he deposed on the 4th of May, 2021 as his evidence.

The petitioner wrote the petition because his Amira Salon Car which was impounded by the officers of Oojo Police Station was burnt during the last #EndSARS protest. He said that his car was impounded by the police because he had hit a woman in an accident. He said that the victim’s leg was broken so he had to take her to the hospital for treatment and he footed the medical bills.

He said that when he realised that the #EndSARS protest was becoming violent, he approached the police station several times to sought for the release of his car but he was refused entrance into the premises.

He therefore prayed the Oyo State Judicial Panel to compensate him with N1.2 million to enable him buy a new car.

With this, the petitioner’s counsel, Mr Falana tendered the relevant documents, receipts of the medical treatment and the photographs of the burnt car before the Oyo State Judicial Panel and they were marked and admitted as exhibits.

The petitioner was cross examined by the respondent’s counsel, Mrs Oloorukoba and the members of the Oyo State Judicial Panel.

Therefore, the petition was adjourned sine die.

Picture of the hearing at the Oyo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on May 5, 2021

7. Case No. OYJPPB/039

Mr Olamide Onikosi v The Nigeria Police Station. The petitioner was absent but was represented by Solomon Adegboyo (Esq.). The respondent was represented by Mr M. A. Ojeah and Mrs B. K. Olorukooba.

The petitioner’s counsel, Mr Adegboyo told the Oyo State Judicial Panel that the petitioner was absent because he was indisposed. He therefore apologised for the petitioner’s absence.

With this, the petition was adjourned by the Oyo State Judicial Panel till May 25, 2021 for definite hearing.

8. Case No. OYJPPB/067

Mr Anishere Abolade v Inspector Dorcas, Area Command Apata. The petitioner was absent and was not represented by a legal counsel. Meanwhile, the respondent was represented by Mr M. A. Ojeah and Mrs B. K. Olorukooba.

The counsel to the Oyo State Judicial Panel, Mrs Oluwafolake Ogundele said that the petitioner was present on the 14th of April, 2021 which is the last adjourned date and he was told to file a written statement on oath. She said that the petitioner however called to inform the panel yesterday that he would be absent because he was indisposed and his counsel was not available.

With this, the petition was adjourned till May 25, 2021 for definite hearing. The Oyo State Judicial Panel ordered that fresh hearing notices should be issued and served on the petitioner and his counsel.

9. Case No. OYJPPB/078

The Family of Abdul-Qudus Agbolade v The Nigeria Police, Ojoo Division. The family was represented by Agbolade Ahmed and two legal counsels, Deborah Oluyemisi Collins (Esq.) and Afolake Adeoba (Esq.). Meanwhile, the respondent was represented by Mr M. A. Ojeah and Mrs B. K. Olorukooba.

The petitioner’s counsel, Mrs Collins said that four witnesses are relevant to the petition but she would present three witnesses before the Oyo State Judicial Panel because one of the witnesses was unavoidably absent. With this, the first witness was invited to the witness stand and he was sworn on the Bible.

The name of the first witness is Ayinde Akintunde Kehinde. He lives at (redacted) Ibadan. He is a medical practitioner. He works at Adeoyo Maternity Hospital, Yemetu, Ibadan. He has been practicing for 28 years. He is a consultant gynaecologist and the Head of the Hospital.

He said that he was informed on the phone on the 20th of October, 2020 at about few minutes before 10pm, that some people were disturbing the peace of the hospital. He said that when he got to the hospital, he realised that the people had brought with them a corpse. He said that he later identified the corpse to be one Mr Qudus.

He said that he discussed with the chief nursing officer who slept at the hospital that night, because some of the nurses could not make it to the hospital as a result of the #EndSARS protest.

He said that he thereafter gave the nurses the order to pack the corpse. He said that he examined the body the next day which was 21st of October, 2020 and gave an order for the embalmment of the body.

He said that he noticed three significant injuries in the course of the examination. He said that one was noticed on the upper part of the left chest while the others were on the deceased’s lower limb. He said that the injuries appeared to be that of a gunshot as the wound was like an opening with a hole. He said that blood was oozing minimally from the chest wound.

He said that he certified the patient dead after the examination and he thereafter issued his report. He said that the family of the deceased came to the hospital later in the day and he told them that the corpse would be transferred to Adeoyo Hospital, Ring Road, where an autopsy would be carried out on the corpse. He however said that the family rejected the offer and he had to inform the Permanent Secretary and the Chairman of the Oyo State Hospital Management Board about the development. He said that the corpse was later released to the family.

The petitioner’s counsel, Mrs Collins then tendered the copy of the report before the Oyo State Judicial Panel and it was marked and admitted as an exhibit.

With that, the petitioner was cross examined by the respondent’s counsel, Mrs Oloorukoba and the members of the Oyo State Judicial Panel.

Thereafter, the second witness, Babatunde Olaniyi was invited to the witness stand and he was sworn on the Quran. He lives at (redacted) Ibadan. He sells Barbecue. He was a friend to the deceased. He prayed the Oyo State Judicial Panel to adopt his written statement on oath dated 27th of April, 2021 as his evidence.

He said that the video of his deceased friend was filmed by one of his area brothers and was later posted on social media. He said that he went out with Qudus on the 20th of October, 2021.

According to him, they were supposed to board a vehicle to their destination but because they were unable to get a cab, they decided to move further. He said he was ahead of Qudus when he suddenly heard the sound of a gunshot. He said he looked back and realised that Qudus had been shot on the leg.

He said that he ran towards him and held his leg and was looking for a cloth to wrap his leg when the second gunshot hit him on the chest. He said that he looked up immediately and saw Sunday written on the uniform of the police officer who fired the shot.

He said that the people in the neighbourhood came out to the scene and the police officer ran into the Oojo Police Station. He said that with this, he ran home to inform the deceased’s family about the incident. He said that Abdul-Qudus died at about 1 to 2pm on the said day of the incident.

He prayed the Oyo State Judicial Panel to compensate the family of the deceased for the untimely death of their promising child.

The petitioner’s counsel, Mrs Collins tendered the compact disk containing the video of the deceased which was shared on the social media before the Oyo State Judicial Panel and it was marked and admitted as an exhibit.

The witness was then cross examined by the respondent’s counsel, Mrs Oloorukoba and the members of the Oyo State Judicial Panel.

Thereafter, the third witness, Agbolade Ahmed was invited to the witness stand and he was sworn on the Quran. He lives at (redacted) Ibadan. He is 53 years old. He is an electrician by profession but he is currently a motorcyclist. He said that Abdul-Qudus was his first son. He said Abdul-Qudus was 16 years old as at the time of the incident. He prayed the Oyo State Judicial Panel to adopt his written statement on oath as his evidence.

He said that the incident happened during the #EndSARS protest which took place last year. He said that his son and his friend, Babatunde Olaniyi were not among the protesters but had only waited at the front of Ojoo Police Station to board a vehicle to their work place at Moniya. He said that he was informed that because they couldn’t get a cab, they decided to go back home. He said that his son was wrapped with the flag carried by the #EndSARS protesters on the day of the incident.

He prayed the Oyo State Judicial Panel to compensate him with the sum of N15 million. The petitioner was cross examined by the respondent’s counsel, Mrs Oloorukoba and the members of the Oyo State Judicial Panel.

At this point, Mrs Collins, the petitioner’s counsel prayed the Oyo State Judicial Panel for an adjournment to enable the petitioner close his case and to also present the last witness before the panel.

The petition was therefore adjourned by the Oyo State Judicial Panel till June 1, 2021 for further hearing.

Having gone through the proceedings for today, the hearing was brought to a close at about 12:49pm.