BY AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
THE Ebonyi State Judicial Panel of Inquiries, saddled with the responsibility of investigating police brutality, has called for reorientation of officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force for efficient service delivery.
Chairman of the panel, who is also the immediate past Chief Judge of the state, justice Alloy Nwankwo, gave the recommendation in Abakaliki while delivering judgement on a matter filed by a widow whose husband was shot dead for allegedly not giving policemen on patrol N10,000 bribe.
He was allegedly killed, irrespective of the fact that all his papers were intact and up to date.
The panel also, in accordance with Section 440 of the Administrative Criminal Justice Law of Ebonyi State 2019, recommended adequate compensation to the petitioner to enable her take care of the deceased’s children’s education.
Speaking with THE POINT shortly after the judgement, Counsel to the petitioner, C.C Itumo, recommended strict investigation of police recruits, like in the Military, during training, to fish out bad eggs early enough.
Itumo, who thanked the panel for a job well done, explained, “What happened was senseless extral judicial execution of the petitioner’s husband by the first respondent, Coporal Effiong Ande, for refusing to give a bribe of N10,000 to them at Nwankwo Elom Police check point, along Ezillo axis of the Enugu-Abakaliki highway, Ebonyi State, on the 23rd day of January 2014.
“That was while the petitioner’s late husband was returning from purchasing a Dianna truck from Obasi, Anambra State. So, police demanded for the vehicle particulars which were presented. After inspection, it was found to be genuine. They then demanded N10,000 bribe, saying ‘police no dey chop paper’.
“The petitioner’s late husband told them that he had exhausted all his money and begged the police to allow him continue his journey. After a short while, they (the deceased and others) thought the police had granted their request and went home.”
He said when they arrived at their residence, at 135 Area Ezzamgbo of Ohaukwu Local Government Council, while they were jubilating about the sucessful purchase of the new truck, the Police arrived in a Royal Mass Transit bus.
The Counsel added, “Then the first respondent, Coporal Effiong Ande, armed with AK-47, shot sporadically in the air and demanded the presence of the driver, who was the deceased, the petitioner’s husband.
“So, he came out and surrendered to the police, raising his two hands up. Then, the Police ordered him to enter the bus they came with. As he was moving to enter the vehicle as ordered, the first respondent shot him on the chest at close range. Immediately, he was rushed to Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching hospital, Abakaliki, where he was confirmed dead.
“Earlier, the Coporal was tried, convicted and sentenced to death but no compensation was paid to the bereaved family and that was why we approached the commission. And today, the commission has rightly recommended that compensation should be paid to the petitioner to take care of the education of the children the late husband left behind.
“So, justice has finally been done because Section 440 of the Administrative Criminal Justice Law of Ebonyi State 2019, rightly provided that in addition to any punishment that should be metted to an offender, there should also be provision for compensation for the victim of the crime, and that is why we are here.”
He added, “Also, Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution guaranteed the right to life as fundamental human right. So any one whose life was terminated unlawfully also deserves some measure of compensation and the commission has rightly made that recommendation to government. So let us hope government will pay the compensation, though no specific amount was mentioned, but we are believeing that the compensation should be adequate to take care of the education of the children of the deceased.
“Just like the commission observed, the police should be reorientated to refrain from abuse of human rights. Police is expected to protect these rights and not to violate them.
“I am also recommending that before anyone joins the Police, the same method used for the military recuritment should be used for the applicants, wherein they would go for investigation to even the institutions where they studied and their native traditional rulers to find out their real character.”
Efforts to speak with the petitioner, Mrs Edith Ugochukwu-Utoh, wife of the deceased, were not successful at the time of the interview.
