This is a report of the fifty-third 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 10, 2021.
Today’s sitting commenced at about 9:50am, 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/001
The Families of Jimoh Isiaq, Pelumi Olatunji, Taiwo Adeoye and Ganiu Moshood v Nigeria Police Area Command Owode, Ogbomoso. The families were represented by Jimoh Atanda, Ganiu Amuda, Timothy Adeoye and Esther Matthew. The families were also represented by Hussein Afolabi (Esq.) and Segun Kofoworola (Esq.). Meanwhile, the respondent was represented by Mr M. A. Ojeah.
The petition was last adjourned to enable the petitioner’s counsel, Mr Hussein present his last witness before the Oyo State Judicial Panel in continuation of his examination in chief.
With that, the witness, Dr. Olabisi Aderibigbe was invited to the witness stand and was sworn on the Bible. She is a medical doctor and a pathologist. She is currently the HOD, Morbid Anatomy and Pathology, LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso. She prayed the Oyo State Judicial Panel to adopt her written statement on oath as her evidence.
She said that she wrote, signed and stamped the autopsy report of Taiwo Adeoye, Moshood Abdul-Ganiu and Oluwapelumi Olatunji as the head of department. She said that she was informed by the personnel working with her that the corpses were brought into the hospital by police officers attached to Owode Police Division.
She further said that the corpses were not handed to her in person but the documents emanated from LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso.
The petitioner’s counsel, Mr Hussein tendered the autopsy reports before the Oyo State Judicial Panel and they were marked and admitted as exhibits.
Thereafter, the witness was cross examined by the respondent’s counsel, Mr Ojeah and members of the Oyo State Judicial Panel.
The petitioner’s counsel, Mr Hussein brought his case to a close and the petition was adjourned by the Oyo State Judicial Panel till June 22, 2021 to enable the respondent open a defence unfailingly as well as file the necessary documents before the next adjourned date.
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 (Esq.). Meanwhile, the respondent was represented by Mr M. A. Ojeah.
The petitioner presented a witness before the Oyo State Judicial Panel on the last adjourned date and the petition was adjourned to enable the petitioner present two more witnesses before the panel. With that, the second witness was invited to the witness stand and he was sworn on the Quran.
The name of the witness is Olajire Muraina Olusola. He lives at (redacted), Ibadan. He prayed the Oyo State Judicial Panel to adopt his written statement on oath dated June 9, 2021 as his evidence.
He said that he has known the petitioner for 30 years. He said that he heard the petitioner’s call for help at about 5am on the said day, after which he proceeded to check what went wrong. He said that he did not see any police officer.
He said that after the petitioner was whisked away, he went inside to call the petitioner’s children on phone, to inform them about what had happened.
With that, the witness was cross examined by the respondent’s counsel, Mr Ojeah and members of the Oyo State Judicial Panel. The third witness, Oyedokun Alli was thereafter invited to the witness stand and was sworn on the Bible.
He lives at (redacted), Ibadan. He prayed the Oyo State Judicial Panel to adopt his written statement on oath dated June 9, 2021 as his evidence. He said that the petitioner is his father. He said that Mr Muraina called him on phone to inform him about the incident.
He said that threat messages were sent to his father on several occasions. He said that his father, the petitioner was severely beaten by police officers and was thereafter taken to hospital for treatment after his release. He said that a letter was written to the Oyo State Commissioner of Police on the 10th of August, 2020 to inform him about the incident.
The petitioner’s counsel, Mr Akinmoyo tendered the copies of hospital admission cards, photographs, and a copy of the solicitor’s letter and they were marked and admitted as exhibits. With that, the witness was cross examined by the respondent’s counsel, Mr Ojeah and members of the Oyo State Judicial Panel.
Mr Akinmoyo prayed the Oyo State Judicial Panel for an adjournment to enable him present his last two witnesses.
The petition was therefore adjourned by Oyo State Judicial Panel till June 17, 2021 for further hearing.
3. Case No. OYJPPB/038
Alhaji Ganiyu Ajiboye Busari v Oyo State Police Command. The petitioner was present and was represented by Kingsley Ike (Esq.) and N. O. Ogochukwu (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. However, Mr Ojeah, the respondent’s counsel prayed the Oyo State Judicial Panel for an adjournment because he was yet to get the relevant documents as promised by the petitioner’s counsel with an addition that his witness was not available.
The petition was therefore adjourned till June 17, 2021 to enable the respondent open a defence. The Oyo State Judicial Panel ordered the petitioner’s counsel to oblige the respondent with the said documents.
4. Case No. OYJPPB/031
The Family of Orelope Bashit Olaide v The Nigeria Police, Igana Area Command. The family was represented by Olatunji Waheed Orelope and a legal counsel, M. O. Olagunju (Esq.). Mr M. A. Ojeah appeared on behalf of the respondent.
The petition was last adjourned to enable the respondent open a defence. Mr Ojeah, the respondent’s counsel pointed out that at the last sitting which was May 19, 2021, he promised the Oyo State Judicial Panel that if he was not able to present the Officer in Charge, SARS, he would present the report of his findings and the panel consented.
He went further to say that he had prepared the report of his findings in line with the directive of the court but the OC SARS who was supposed to tender the report is not available. He said that the Officer in Charge SARS, CSP Sola Aremu was among the officers drafted to Abuja by the Inspector-General of Police.
The Oyo State Judicial Panel however said that an alternative was never given at the last adjourned date. The panel said that the order given was for CSP Sola Aremu to appear in person and the report of the findings should be filed alongside.
The Oyo State Judicial Panel also expressed displeasure about how CSP Sola Aremu has failed to appear before it despite the fact that his name was mentioned in several petitions. The panel therefore opined that a letter would be written to the Inspector-General of Police to request for the appearance of CSP Sola Aremu.
Mr Ojeah, the respondent’s counsel apologised to the Oyo State Judicial Panel on behalf of his witness. He added that CSP Sola Aremu, the Officer in Charge SARS would never undermine the authority of the panel for any reason.
With that, the petition was adjourned till June 16, 2021 for the respondent to present CSP Sola Aremu. The Oyo State Judicial Panel ordered the secretariat to write a letter to the IGP, to request for the appearance of CSP Aremu.
5. Case No. OYJPPB/034
Mr Salami Sarafadeen v The Nigeria Police, Saki Area Command. The petitioner was present and was represented by D. S. Olabode (Esq.). Meanwhile, Mr M. A. Ojeah maintained appearance on behalf of the respondent.
On the last adjourned date, the respondent’s witness said that the petitioner’s motorcycle was intact and the petition was adjourned to enable the Oyo State Judicial Panel request for the release of the motorcycle.
Mrs Oluwafolake Ogundele, the counsel to the Oyo State Judicial Panel said that due to the panel’s order at the last adjourned date, the secretariat wrote and served a letter on the Commissioner of Police on the 7th of June, 2021 to demand for the release of the motorcycle and a copy was served on the Police Officer in Charge Legal, CSP Funke Fawole, but she was yet to get a response.
Mr Ojeah, the respondent’s counsel said that the letter was served on the office of the CSP but he saw it yesterday. He said that he had a meeting with CSP Fawole and she promised to get in touch with the Commissioner of Police.
With that, the petition was adjourned till June 16, 2021 for the Oyo State Judicial Panel to be furnished with the response of the Commissioner of Police regarding the release of the petitioner’s car.
6. Case No. OYJPPB/060
Comrade Segun Ogundepo v The Nigeria Police, Agugu Division. The petitioner was present and was represented by R. A. Eyinade (Esq.). Meanwhile, the respondent was represented by Mr M. A. Ojeah.
The petition was last adjourned to enable the respondent present his witnesses before the Oyo State Judicial Panel. However, the respondent’s counsel, Mr Ojeah prayed the panel for an adjournment because his witnesses were not present before the panel to adopt their written statements on oath.
With that, the petition was adjourned by the Oyo State Judicial Panel till June 16, 2021 to enable the respondent open a defence unfailingly.
7. Case No. OYJPPB/063
Alhaji Kaharu Adeyemi v The Nigeria Police. The petitioner was present and was represented by Kayode Okunade (Esq.). The respondent was represented by Mr M. A. Ojeah.
The petition was last adjourned on the 1st of June, 2021 to enable the owner of the vehicle which was given to Alhaji Kaharu on hire purchase, appear before the Oyo State Judicial Panel to shed light on the issue. With that, the witness was invited to the witness stand and was sworn on the Quran.
The name of the witness is Alhaji Adebowale Kolawole Isiaq. He lives at (redacted), Ibadan. He deals in Nissan Micra hire purchase. He said he knows the petitioner because he was his customer up until March, 2020.
He said that Alhaji Kaharu approached him in May 2019 to inform him that he was interested in car hire purchase. He said that he requested him to pay N150,000 but the petitioner returned with N130,000.
He said that he collected the money but told Alh. Kaharu that he would need time to get the vehicle’s registration number from the Oyo State Government. He said that the petitioner insisted that he would go with the car and then get the agreement at a later date.
He said that he gave the petitioner the car, receipt and the hire purchase agreement. He said that he told the petitioner to pay N1.2 million for the hire purchase and it was agreed that he would pay N15,000 on a weekly basis. He said that the petitioner made his first payment on the 5th of May, 2019 and made the last payment on March 7, 2020.
He said that he reported the matter at the police station because the petitioner stopped paying him and his car was not returned him.
With that, the hire purchase agreement, the schedule of payment and other documents were tendered before the Oyo State Judicial Panel and they were marked and admitted as exhibits.
The witness was cross examined by the petitioner’s counsel, Mr Okunade and members of the Oyo State Judicial Panel.
Petition OYJPPB/063 was thereafter, adjourned sine die.
8. Case No. OYJPPB/091
Mr Alamu Toheeb v Nigeria Police, Eleyele Police Station. The petitioner was present and was represented by O. P. Adenuga (Esq.). Meanwhile, Mr M. A. Ojeah appeared on behalf of the respondent.
The petition was last adjourned to enable the respondent open a defence. However, the petitioner’s counsel, Mrs Adenuga prayed the Oyo State Judicial Panel for an adjournment because the statement on oath of the respondent’s witness, Inspector Adebayo Adesola Waheed, was served on her this morning and there was a need for her to go through it to prepare the necessary response. She further said that she was indisposed.
Thus, the petition was adjourned by the Oyo State Judicial Panel till June 17, 2021 for the respondent to open a defence and to enable the petitioner file a response.
9. Case No. OYJPPB/013
Mr Bello Olusegun Kayode v Nigeria Police, Sango Police Station. The petitioner was absent and was not represented by a legal counsel. Mr M. A. Ojeah maintained appearance on behalf of the respondent.
The petition was last adjourned to enable the respondent open a defence. However, the Oyo State Judicial Panel explained that the petitioner said he is no longer interested in prosecuting the petition.
In view of this, petition OYJPPB/013 was struck out.
Petitions for Further Hearing at the Oyo State Judicial Panel
10. Case No. OYJPPB/019
Mr Sesan Opadotun’s Family v Commissioner of Police, Oyo State. The petitioner was absent but was represented by his mother, Mrs Olunike Opadotun and a legal counsel, Mosebolatan Oyedeji (Esq.). Mr M. A. Ojeah appeared on behalf of the respondent.
At the last adjourned date, the Oyo State Judicial Panel ordered its counsel, Mrs Oluwafolake Ogundele to furnish the respondent’s counsel, Mr Ojeah with the force number of Sergeant Lukman Adenuga, the police officer relevant to the petition.
Mrs Oluwafolake Ogundele, the Oyo State Judicial Panel’s counsel said that the respondent was furnished with Sergeant Adenuga’s force number with an addition that a letter written to summon Sergeant Lukman Adenuga was served on the Police Officer in Charge Legal, CSP Funke Fawole, on June 2, 2021.
The respondent’s counsel, Mr Ojeah however said that the sergeant’s name could not be found in the police record. He further said that he may not open a defence, as regards this matter.
The petition was thereafter adjourned till June 22, 2021 for further hearing to enable Sergeant Lukman Adenuga appear before the Oyo State Judicial Panel. The panel ordered that a letter should be written to the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State to request for the appearance of Sergeant Adenuga. The panel added that a copy of the petition should be attached to the letter.
Having gone through the proceedings for today, the hearing was brought to a close at about 5:13pm.