…As petitioner demands N10m damages
A counsel representing a petitioner has told the Judicial Commission of Inquiry that his client’s rights were breached.
Barrister Geoffrey Joseph told the commission at its resumed hearing that the rights of his client were violated saying that officials of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) had threatened his life.
However, the counsel representing the police, I.N. Ubulom,said that the petition involved investigation of a criminal matter and asked the commission to strike out the petition.
Nonetheless, the counsel to the commission, S.O. Inko-Tariah, said that the case was within the jurisdiction of the commission.
The police counsel also said that the petition was vague and it should be struck out.
The commission chairman, Honourable Justice U.I. Uriri (retd),overruled the application to strike out the petition saying that there was evidence of police brutality and ordered that the matter should proceed.
The petition was brought by Chief Paul Nyeche Amadi.
The petitioner who took the witness box adopted the petition before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry.
Exhibits were also tendered to the commission and admitted as evidence.
The petitioner said that he went to hospital as a result of trauma suffered from police who made attempt on his life.
Speaking in an interview, he said that allegations were made against him and operatives of the disbanded SARS were allegedly drafted to “exterminate” him.
He said that they came armed and tried to arrest him.
The petitioner said:” My people bring some allegations against me in the community and wanting to distort my father’s inheritance. Then I told them No. I went to court to assert my constitutional right. I defeat(ed) them in court. They had no defence. What they did is to resort to trying to exterminate me extrajudicially. So they had to write to SARS, hired SARS and SARS came armed to the teeth”.
He said he avoided arrest when he hid himself from them adding that he was seeing the operatives of the disbanded SARS at his home from his hideout.
The petitioner said the operatives came to his home in order to arrest him on June 21, 2019.
He said it was his wife who was at home when they came.
The petitioner said that he wants compensation of ten million naira (N10m) from police for trauma he suffered, adding that those who hired the operatives should also pay compensation of ten million naira.
