Drama At NHRC Panel As Victim’s Family Disrupts Proceedings

There was a mild drama today before the independent
investigative panel on human rights violations by the defunct
Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other police units when some
relatives of a victim of an alleged extrajudicial killing by police
operatives disrupted the testimony of the first respondent in their
petition.

The family of the deceased, Festus Idehen, had petitioned the
panel, alleging that he was extrajudicially killed by the
police.

The petitioner joined ASP Kingsley Ojeomokhai of the defunct
SARS, Federal Capital Territory (FCT); defunct SARS, FCT;
Commissioner of Police, FCT and the Inspector-General of Police as
respondents in the petition marked 2020/IIP-SARS/ABJ/104.

The relatives, including the elder sister to the late Festus,
Mrs Doris Idedia, raised objections to the testimony of Ojeomokhai,
who was narrating circumstances leading to the death of the
deceased in 2016, alleging that he was lying against their late
brother.

They called the police officer unprintable names and cursed on
him as well, saying that, “You will see.”

This made the panel to asked them to apology and further sent
them out of the venue of the panel sitting.

Subsequently, the chairman of the panel, Justice Suleiman
Galadima (retd), urged petitioners appearing before the panel to
always conduct themselves in a civil manner, warning that, “unruly
behaviour will not be tolerated.”

Testifying on the death of Festus, ASP Ojeomokhai informed that
on August 28, 2016, he was assigned with four other officers to
investigate a case of criminal conspiracy and armed robbery
involving two suspects, Lawal Mohammed and Abubakar Mohammed.

According to him, Lawal Mohammed had claimed in his statement to
the police that they sold a stolen Mercedes 350 Jeep, black to one
Onyeka in Kafanchan, who is an in-law to Festus Idehen, the
deceased.

He informed that on September 2, 2016, he launched a signal
activity to the Kaduna Police Command and also documented their
arrival at Area Command in Kafanchan to apprehended Onyeka and
Festus.

Led by counsel for the police, Umoh Inah, the first respondent
added that also alleged that on September 3, 2016, Lawal Mohammed
and a police team including himself moved to Onyeka’s house to
effect his arrest, adding that Onyeka admitted to selling the said
car to Festus Idehen, under interrogation.

Ojeomokhai said he then instructed Onyeka to put a call to
Festus, saying that the former called the latter that he had the
laptop for sale and Festus agreed to meet him at Gonin Gora, a
suburb in Kaduna, to check the laptop.

“Immediately we moved to Gonin Gora to await Festus’ arrival.
Festus came to Gonin Gora in the alleged stolen Mercedes and when
he sighted us and others, he raised alarm and called us armed
robbers, inciting an attack on us, while driving away in the
Mercedes jeep,” the respondent told the panel.

He said a mob gathered and wanted to attack him and his team,
adding that he had to quickly identify himself as a police officer
and informed the mob that they were rather there to arrest Festus
over allegation of a stolen jeep.

According to him, on learning that the accuser was the real
robber, the mob then went after Festus, who unfortunately got stuck
on the road, which he said made it easy for the mob to descend on
him with dangerous weapons.

“It took the intervention of one of my members, Inspector Okey
Samuel, to rescue Festus from the mob, though his leg had already
been broken and they were about to crack his head with a big
stone.”

Ojeomokhai alleged that while trying to rescue Festus, another
set of mob attacked his personal tinted Volkswagen Gulf car.

“They turned it upside down while attacking Onyeka and Lawal
inside. I had to call for reinforcements from Kaduna Police Command
and the mob were dispersed,” he said.

According to him, the injured suspects were all rescued and
taken to the Barau Umaru Dikko Hospital in Kaduna where they were
admitted and treated, informing that as a result of his broken leg,
POP was administered on Festus.

Ojeomokhai further told the panel that the Festus’ mother told
him that the family did not have money to pay hospital bills when
their son was being treated in the hospital he was taken to in
Kaduna after being beaten by the mob.

He informed that based on this, he paid N42,500 for the medical
bills of the late Festus, adding that the deceased was thereafter
taken to Abuja where he could be further treated at police
clinic.

These led to the emotional outbursts by the relatives of the
deceased present at today’s sitting, calling him a liar.

Continuing his evidence, Ojeomokhai informed that upon
transferring the deceased to Abuja on September 5, 2016, he took
Festus to the Police Clinic for further treatment, adding that
after he was discharged, he (Ojeomokhai) placed him under
custody.

He added that on September 6, 2016, he took Festus to Asokoro
General Hospital for further medical examination, informing that
the doctor who diagnosed him said he had lost a lot of blood and
might not survive.

He said that he tried to get blood for transfusion for him,
informing, however, that, “but Festus later died in the
evening.”

Under cross-examination, ASP Ojeomokhai informed that the
Mercedes jeep in question had been registered and was with the
police exhibit keeper, adding that while Onyeka had been released
on bail, other suspects in the case were still in police
custody.

After Ojeomokhai’s evidence, Justice Galadima (retd) directed
the respondent counsel to make available the hospital admission and
treatment records of both the Police clinic and Asokoro General
Hospital at the next adjourned date.

The Chairman further directed the counsel to the complainants to
prepare their closing address and present on 4th March 2021, while
the respondent’s counsel will present their closing address on 11th
March 2021

He then adjourned further hearing till April 7.

There was a mild drama today before the independent
investigative panel on human rights violations by the defunct
Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other police units when some
relatives of a victim of an alleged extrajudicial killing by police
operatives disrupted the testimony of the first respondent in their
petition.

The family of the deceased, Festus Idehen, had petitioned the
panel, alleging that he was extrajudicially killed by the
police.

The petitioner joined ASP Kingsley Ojeomokhai of the defunct
SARS, Federal Capital Territory (FCT); defunct SARS, FCT;
Commissioner of Police, FCT and the Inspector-General of Police as
respondents in the petition marked 2020/IIP-SARS/ABJ/104.

The relatives, including the elder sister to the late Festus,
Mrs Doris Idedia, raised objections to the testimony of Ojeomokhai,
who was narrating circumstances leading to the death of the
deceased in 2016, alleging that he was lying against their late
brother.

They called the police officer unprintable names and cursed on
him as well, saying that, “You will see.”

This made the panel to asked them to apology and further sent
them out of the venue of the panel sitting.

Subsequently, the chairman of the panel, Justice Suleiman
Galadima (retd), urged petitioners appearing before the panel to
always conduct themselves in a civil manner, warning that, “unruly
behaviour will not be tolerated.”

Testifying on the death of Festus, ASP Ojeomokhai informed that
on August 28, 2016, he was assigned with four other officers to
investigate a case of criminal conspiracy and armed robbery
involving two suspects, Lawal Mohammed and Abubakar Mohammed.

According to him, Lawal Mohammed had claimed in his statement to
the police that they sold a stolen Mercedes 350 Jeep, black to one
Onyeka in Kafanchan, who is an in-law to Festus Idehen, the
deceased.

He informed that on September 2, 2016, he launched a signal
activity to the Kaduna Police Command and also documented their
arrival at Area Command in Kafanchan to apprehended Onyeka and
Festus.

Led by counsel for the police, Umoh Inah, the first respondent
added that also alleged that on September 3, 2016, Lawal Mohammed
and a police team including himself moved to Onyeka’s house to
effect his arrest, adding that Onyeka admitted to selling the said
car to Festus Idehen, under interrogation.

Ojeomokhai said he then instructed Onyeka to put a call to
Festus, saying that the former called the latter that he had the
laptop for sale and Festus agreed to meet him at Gonin Gora, a
suburb in Kaduna, to check the laptop.

“Immediately we moved to Gonin Gora to await Festus’ arrival.
Festus came to Gonin Gora in the alleged stolen Mercedes and when
he sighted us and others, he raised alarm and called us armed
robbers, inciting an attack on us, while driving away in the
Mercedes jeep,” the respondent told the panel.

He said a mob gathered and wanted to attack him and his team,
adding that he had to quickly identify himself as a police officer
and informed the mob that they were rather there to arrest Festus
over allegation of a stolen jeep.

According to him, on learning that the accuser was the real
robber, the mob then went after Festus, who unfortunately got stuck
on the road, which he said made it easy for the mob to descend on
him with dangerous weapons.

“It took the intervention of one of my members, Inspector Okey
Samuel, to rescue Festus from the mob, though his leg had already
been broken and they were about to crack his head with a big
stone.”

Ojeomokhai alleged that while trying to rescue Festus, another
set of mob attacked his personal tinted Volkswagen Gulf car.

“They turned it upside down while attacking Onyeka and Lawal
inside. I had to call for reinforcements from Kaduna Police Command
and the mob were dispersed,” he said.

According to him, the injured suspects were all rescued and
taken to the Barau Umaru Dikko Hospital in Kaduna where they were
admitted and treated, informing that as a result of his broken leg,
POP was administered on Festus.

Ojeomokhai further told the panel that the Festus’ mother told
him that the family did not have money to pay hospital bills when
their son was being treated in the hospital he was taken to in
Kaduna after being beaten by the mob.

He informed that based on this, he paid N42,500 for the medical
bills of the late Festus, adding that the deceased was thereafter
taken to Abuja where he could be further treated at police
clinic.

These led to the emotional outbursts by the relatives of the
deceased present at today’s sitting, calling him a liar.

Continuing his evidence, Ojeomokhai informed that upon
transferring the deceased to Abuja on September 5, 2016, he took
Festus to the Police Clinic for further treatment, adding that
after he was discharged, he (Ojeomokhai) placed him under
custody.

He added that on September 6, 2016, he took Festus to Asokoro
General Hospital for further medical examination, informing that
the doctor who diagnosed him said he had lost a lot of blood and
might not survive.

He said that he tried to get blood for transfusion for him,
informing, however, that, “but Festus later died in the
evening.”

Under cross-examination, ASP Ojeomokhai informed that the
Mercedes jeep in question had been registered and was with the
police exhibit keeper, adding that while Onyeka had been released
on bail, other suspects in the case were still in police
custody.

After Ojeomokhai’s evidence, Justice Galadima (retd) directed
the respondent counsel to make available the hospital admission and
treatment records of both the Police clinic and Asokoro General
Hospital at the next adjourned date.

The Chairman further directed the counsel to the complainants to
prepare their closing address and present on 4th March 2021, while
the respondent’s counsel will present their closing address on 11th
March 2021

He then adjourned further hearing till April 7.