The Lagos State Judicial Panel on Restitution for Victims of SARS-related abuses and other matters resumed hearing on for the week on Tuesday, February 2, 2021, with the 4th petitioner who was Mrs Taiwo Idehen v the Nigerian Police Force.
She came in without a legal counsel and out rightly refused one when she was offered free legal service by the Nigerian Bar Association.
Her words, “My case is a straightforward one, I don’t need a lawyer”.
Mrs Taiwo while describing her ordeal, stated that she was manhandled on May 15, 2017, by some Police officers, DSP Clement Ogbefu ad Inspector Austin over the death of her husband, Joseph Idehen.
She further narrated her experience, brought in the cloth she was wearing on the day of the incident as evidence.
Mrs Taiwo stated, “In the process of roughing me up, I fell and broke my front teeth”. She opened up her mouth for the court to see.
During her cross examination, the Police Counsel asked for her medical reports that show she was treated for the loss of her teeth and other injuries she disclosed she had sustained on that faithful day.
However, respondents counsel asked for more time to summon the officers from the petitioners testimony and the case was then adjourned to February 20, 2021.
The 5th petitioner, Ayuub Abdul Azeez v the Nigerian Police Force. Due to the absence of the petitioner in this circumstance, this case was adjourned to February 26, 2021.
The 6th petitioner, Joseph Onyewuchi Nwafor v FSARS. The hearing could not take place due to the absence of the petitioner and was therefore adjourned to February 26, 2021.
The 7th petitioner, Mrs Ann Ebere Okpara v Intelligence Report Team (IRT). The legal counsel for the IRT, Barrister Nosa was absent and not expected in court till February 9, 2021, the case was hence adjourned to the same date.
The 8th petitioner, Ayomide Oyeunmi v the Nigerian Police Force and two others. The petitioner was absent for mention, he was not represented by any legal counsel and his case was coming up for the first time. It was also adjourned to February 23, 2021.
The 9th petitioner, the family of late Charles Otoo v the Nigerian Police Force. The case came up for the first time for mention and was adjourned to February 23, 2021.
The 10th petitioner, the family of late Adesina Adeosun v the Nigerian Police Force. As with the other cases, this was also opened and adjourned to February 23, 2021.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2021.
The Lagos State Judicial Panel on Restitution for Victims of SARS-related abuses and other matters on Friday, February 5, 2021, sat for the 37th time since inception in October 2020.
The hearing resumed very late at about 1:00pm and Justice Okuwobi apologized stating that their reason for starting late was because the panel was meeting with the forensics team.
The first petitioner was Adebayo Yinka Austin v FSARS. Petitioners counsel came with a witness, Adesipe Idowu, a neighbor to the petitioner. After cross examination by the Police counsel, the case was adjourned.
Another petitioner, Obochi Michael Owoicho v the Nigerian Police Force. The Nigerian Airforce was in on this case as a respondent and for this reason, the case was adjourned to March 2, 2021 when fresh summons can be sent out.
Emeka Sunday Jato and Azubuike Jato, twin brothers, were also petitioners but unfortunately their case could not be heard as there were missing pages from their petition. For this reason, their case was adjourned to March 2, 2021.
The 6th petitioner, Canaan Chukwuezi v the Nigerian Police Force. The petitioner was absent from court for the third time and because of this, the petition was struck out from the panel’s records.
The last petitioner for the day was Mr Julius Adeogun & Mrs Adewunmi Adeogun v the Nigerian Police Force. The former was deceased and his wife, Adewunmi gave her testimony. She narrated how her husband was picked up and tortured by policemen.
After listening to her harrowing testimony, Justice Okuwobi decided that cross examination should take place another day due to the emotional state of the petitioner and the case was adjourned to March 9, 2021.
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