This is a report of the ninth 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, February 11, 2021.
Today’s sitting commenced at about 9:18am, shortly after the arrival of the panelists.
Cases at the Oyo State Judicial Panel
1. Case No. OYJPPB/056
The Family of Late Kehinde Omotosho v Nigeria Police, Saki Police Station. Mr Ademola Omotosho appeared on behalf of the family. The family was also represented by Chukwudi Maduka (Esq.) and Oyindamola Fabinu (Esq.) While, CSP Funke Fawole and Mr O. J. Matthew appeared on behalf of the respondent.
The Officer in Charge Legal, CSP Fawole, agreed that she had been served but was yet to file a response to the petition. She promised to file a response before the close of work for today.
With this, the petition was adjourned by the Oyo State Judicial Panel till March 2, 2021 for definite hearing.
2. Case No. OYJPPB/034
Mr Salami Sarafadeen v Nigeria Police, Saki Area Command. The petitioner was present and was represented by D. S. Olabode (Esq.). While CSP Funke Fawole and Mr O. J. Matthew appeared on behalf of the respondent. According to the petitioner’s legal counsel, D. S. Olabode, the petition was adjourned till today for mention but the petitioner had filed an addendum to the petition, the particulars of the claims as contained in the petition which was served on the respondent this morning. He said that the addendum was filed and submitted yesterday, the 10th of February, 2021; with the hope that the respondent would get a copy from the Oyo State Judicial Panel.
Meanwhile, CSP Fawole, the Officer in Charge Legal, confirmed that she had gone through the petition and there was a need for her to react to some of the paragraphs, contained in the petition.
With the approval of both parties, the petition was adjourned by the Oyo State Judicial Panel till February 23, 2021 for definite hearing.
3. Case No. OYJPPB/059
Mr Ayodele Francis Olutoyin v Federal Road Safety Corps. The petitioner was present but was not represented by a legal counsel. According to him, he was not represented at the hearing because his lawyer, Barr. Olaoye, lost his father yesterday and had travelled to Kogi State. He assured the Oyo State Judicial Panel that his legal representative would be present at the next hearing.
Meanwhile, the Federal Road Safety Corps was absent at the hearing. Mrs Oluwafolake Ogundele, the legal counsel to the Oyo State Judicial Panel, told the panel that the respondent was served with the processes of the petition on February 4, 2021. She also said that the legal counsel to the respondent, O. J. Bamishe (Esq.) had visited the panel’s secretariat two days ago and assured the panel that he would be present at the hearing, despite that he had a case fixed for today at the Federal High Court.
With this, the petition was adjourned by the Oyo State Judicial Panel till February 17, 2021 for mention, so as to issue and serve a fresh hearing notice on the respondent.
4. Case No. OYJPPB/060
Comrade Segun Ogundepo v The Nigeria Police, Agugu Division. The petitioner was present at the hearing but he was not represented by a legal counsel.
The Oyo State Judicial Panel informed the petitioner about the pro bono services offered by the Nigerian Bar Association to petitioners who do not have money, but would like to have a legal representative. The petitioner said that he would have died because of the activities of the Nigeria Police, Agugu Division and that his wife and children had to run away from home, due to the actions of the Nigeria Police in Agugu. The petitioner therefore showed interest in obtaining the services of a pro bono counsel.
Meanwhile, CSP Funke Fawole and Mr O. J. Matthew maintained appearances on behalf of the respondent. The Officer in Charge Legal, CSP Fawole, said that she had been served with the processes of the petition, but was yet to respond.
The petition was adjourned by the Oyo State Judicial Panel till February 16, 2021 for mention at the instance of the petitioner.
Petition for Hearing at the Oyo State Judicial Panel
5. Case No. OYJPPB/021
Chief Tunde Mustapha v Unknown Hoodlums. The petitioner was present at the hearing and was represented by Ajewale Ajewole (Esq.). The legal representative to the petitioner, Ajewale Ajewole (Esq.), told the Oyo State Judicial Panel that the petitioner inadvertently left the original document, which he had intended to tender before the panel today, at his house. He apologised for the oversight and asked for an adjournment.
Subject to the convenience of the Oyo State Judicial Panel, the petition was adjourned till February 18, 2021 for definite hearing.
Petition for Further Hearing at the Oyo State Judicial Panel
6. Case No. OYJPPB/002
Olabamiji T. Femi v Unknown Hoodlums. The petitioner was present at the hearing but was not represented by a legal counsel. The petition was first presented for hearing on February 2, 2021 but was adjourned because the petitioner did not present the prices of the items which he claimed were looted and vandalised. The panel had fixed today so that the petitioner can present the prices of the looted items before the panel.
Mrs Oluwafolake Ogundele, the legal counsel to the Oyo State Judicial Panel, asked the petitioner what he wanted the panel to do with the document which he submitted to yesterday, to state the prices of the items which were vandalised and looted during the #EndSars protest. In his words, he wrote the petition to the government, to solicit for support in purchasing the items that were looted and vandalised during the protest. However, he said it should be noted that the total estimate of the looted and vandalised items is N77,390.
With this, he was cross examined by the Oyo State Judicial Panel. The petitioner was asked if he had registered his school with the Ministry of Education. In his response, he said that the registration is being processed but he submitted two receipts to the panel, to show that the form was purchased. The receipts which were dated November 8, 2013 and October 10, 2019; were marked as exhibit A1 and A2.
The Oyo State Judicial Panel further asked the petitioner about his qualification, the school he graduated from, the year he established the school, the number of teachers in the school, the number of pupils in the school, the qualification of his wife (who also teaches in the school), the annual rent of the school premises, the color of the school building, the tuition fee and the location of the school.
Olabamiji T. Babafemi told the Oyo State Judicial Panel that he graduated from Mufutau Lanihun College of Education at Oremeji Express Road, Ibadan where he bagged his NCE in Social Studies and graduated in 2015. On the other hand, he said that his wife has secondary school certificate and teaches the nursery section of the school. He said that the school was established in 2014 and has 20 registered pupils. In his words, the annual rent of the school premises is N36,000. He said that the school has the Nursery section as well as Basic 1- 4 and so far; two pupils had written Common Entrance Examinations since the establishment of the school. He also said that the Primary school pupils pay N5,000 while the Nursery school pupils pay N4,000 as tuition fee for each term.
He was however told to submit his certificate, his wife’s certificate and any other qualification that qualifies him to establish and run a school. Due to the inconsistencies in the response of the petitioner to the questions that were asked by the Oyo State Judicial Panel, the panel, led by Hon Justice Badejoko Adeniji, visited the school for inspection and to also get firsthand information, so as to ascertain if the petitioner was telling the truth.
On getting to the school, the petitioner’s wife, Mrs Taiwo, told the Oyo State Judicial Panel that the school was established on January 5, 2012 and has 26 registered pupils while there are 5 unregistered pupils. His wife said the annual rent of the school premises is N40,000. She said that she attended Olubadan High School, Orita Aperin and wrote her Senior Secondary School Examination in 2005. According to her, she teaches all the pupils and the establishment of the school was her idea. She also said that three of her children attend the school but the eldest had written Common Entrance Examination and had gained admission into a secondary school.
Having inspected the petitioner’s school, Divine Success Nursery and Primary, Konike, Ibadan; the Oyo State Judicial Panel led by Hon Justice Badejoko, concluded that recommendations would be made to the government about his petition and that the government would in turn, reach out to him as expected.
The hearing for the day was concluded with the visit to the school.