Towncriernewsnigeria
Dedeigbo Ayodeji
The Lagos State Judicial Panel on Restitution for Victims of SARS related abuses and other Matters continued it’s sitting today Tuesday 12th January, 2021 in Lagos by examining 9 petitions.
In the first petition of the day involving Darlington Humphrey Omele vs the Nigeria police force, the panel listened to the adoption of the final addresses by both the petitioner and respondent counsels and reserved ruling for a date to be communicated to both parties.
In the 2nd petition of the day involving Kabiru Ibrahim vs the Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (FSARS), the petitioner counsel sought to tender some documents in response to the written address of the respondent and prayed the panel to use it’s powers to order the ensure and enforce a judgement award of N200 million naira in favour of the petitioner against the Nigeria police force, but the police counsel stated that the matter is still pending in an appeal before the Court of Appeal.
The petitioner counsel prayed the court to allow the petitioner to file his address in response to the address of the respondent and the panel obliged by ruling that the petitioner should file his written final address 3 days and adjourned the matter to 20th January, 2021.
In the 3rd case of the day of Mrs. Tolulope Aminat Oprniyi vs Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (FSARS), the police counsel informed the court that his witness is yet to be contacted and thus sought an adjournment which was opposed by the petitioner counsel.
However for the sake of justice, the panel obliged the respondent counsel one more opportunity by adjourning the matter to 26th January, 2021.
In the 4th case of the day involving Oladoyin Ademola vs Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (FSARS), the police counsel claimed that it will be injurious to him to proceed with the case since the petition is nebulous as the petitioner didn’t mention the name of the police officer who assaulted him, the police station jurisdiction and the location, hence he pleaded with the panel to demand that the petitioner be specific which the panel concurred with.
The panel then adjourned the matter to the 27th of January, 2021 in acceeding to the plea of the NBA counsel who took up the case of the petitioner and asked for more time to be acquainted with the facts of the petition.
In the 5th case of the day of Dr. Faleye Oludare Stephens vs the Nigeria Police Force, the petitioner was absent and was not represented by a counsel, but an adjournment was pleaded for another opportunity for the petitioner.
The panel chairman justice Doris Okuwobi (Rtd.) ordered that a hearing notice be served on the petitioner and a summons against a member of the Lagos State task force be issued before the adjourned date of 27th January, 2021.
In the 6th case of the day involving Akinmade Akinrolabu vs the Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (FSARS), the panel was informed of the bereavement of the petitioner hence his absence through a correspondence to the panel which then adjourned the matter to the 3rd of February, 2021
In the 7th petition of the day of Chijioke Owoh vs the Inspector General of Police and others, the police counsel informed the panel that the matter before it is still pending in court, but the petitioner counsel opposed and stated that the matter had been disposed off in court and urged the panel to hear the case on it’s merit.
The panel then asked the petitioner counsel to furnish the pan with record of the proceedings of the case before it can be heard, which he promised to do and the panel thereafter adjourned the matter to 3rd February for further consideration.
In the 8th case of the day involving Chukwu Vincent Chukwu vs the Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (FSARS), the petitioner adopted his written address but the police counsel opposed because he was not served and the petitioner counsel claimed he was not ordered to serve, otherwise he would have complied.
After argument and counter argument by both parties, the panel ruled that the petitioner ought to have been served and thus directed that he should be and adjourned the matter to the 3rd of January 2021 for the adoption of addresses.
In the 9th petition of the day of Mr. Olukoya Ogungbeje vs the Nigeria police force, the petitioner is in court to seek the panel to use it’s powers to order the Nigeria police force to pay him the N20 million naira awarded in his favour against the Nigeria police force in September 2015, but which has not been complied with.
But the police counsel stated that the case in question is still before the Court and asked the panel to dismiss the prayers of the petitioner based on the proceedings before the Court.
The panel then ordered the police counsel to furnish it with the record of proceedings before the Court of Appeal and adjourned further hearing to 3rd February, 2021.
