Alhaji Olayiwola Sulu and Tirimisiyu Sulu yesterday appeared before the Oyo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry into Police Brutality narrating how policemen illegally stripped them of N1.7million and N450, 000 respectively.
The petitioners in a Case No. OYJPPB/029, pleaded with the court to retrieve their money back to them and ensure that justice is served to the allegedly corrupt police officers, who violated their fundamental human rights.
In his narration before the panel, the Ibadan based Alhaji Olayiwola, Chief Imam at the Oke-Ado Central Mosque for the past 30 years and a teacher in an Arabic school, prayed the Panel to adopt his written statement on oath dated April 28th, 2021 as his evidence.
According to him, his ugly encounter with the police leading to his petition before the panel happened on June 6, 2020.
He claimed that some unknown police officers and thugs broke into his house to arrest him over a land issue adding that he sustained injury in the process and this led to his hospitalisation.
Olayiwola said that he wrote the petition because the sixth and seventh respondents instigated the Intelligence Response Team to violate his fundamental rights, thereby destroying his properties in the process.
The cleric stated that after the incident, the second respondent, CSP Abba Kyari forced him to pay the sum of N1.7 million so that he and his son would not be arrested, praying the Panel to ensure that justice is served and that his N1.7million naira is returned to him.
Thereafter, the second petitioner, Tirimisiyu said that he was detained illegally from June 6, 2020 till July 3, 2020 by the officers of the Intelligence Response Team without being charged to court with an offence.
He said that he was brutalised, detained and tortured by the respondents and this has rendered his left hand incapacitated, pointing out that he paid the sum of N450, 000 to the police before he was released.
He said that he is out of job at the moment as he could no longer drive his truck due to the permanent injury he sustained and that he went to the hospital immediately after his release.
He told the Panel to duly compensate him and presented his medical documents and receipts for them to rely on in deciding the compensation amount.
Corroborating the second witness Suliat Tirimisiyu. wife of the second petitioner said that she pleaded with the officers who arrested her husband but she was instead shoved into gutter and she sustained bodily injuries as a result of this.
Through their counsel, Oluwatobi O. Fatoki, the court admitted their evidences as exhibits
The petition was therefore adjourned sine die.
Also, Alamu Toheeb, with Case No. OYJPPB/091, equally prayed the Panel to adopt his written statement on oath, which was dated May 14, 2021 as his evidence.
He said that he was shot by police officers at about 1pm on October 11, 2017, explaining that he was on his way from INEC office when two police officers who were seated at a joint around Adamasingba Stadium started shooting.
According to him, while attempting to run for safety, one of the bullets fired by Sola, an officer attached to the anti-kidnapping unit of Eleyele Police Station, hit him on the leg.
He stated that the people around took him to University College Hospital, (UCH), Ibadan, where he underwent surgery, adding that while in the hospital, two officers of the force paid him a visit and revealed the identity of who shot him.
He prayed the Panel for justice and a compensation in the sum of N3 million.
Corroborating the petitioner was his wife, Alamu Kareemat and an eye-witness, Biodun Busari.
They were all cross examined by the respondent’s counsel, Mr Ojeah and members of the Panel.
The petitioner’s counsel, O. P. Opadotun tendered four photographs, eight copies of medical receipts, medical report, hospital card and the appointment card before the Panel and they were marked and admitted as exhibits.
The Panel adjourned the petition to June 10, 2021 for further hearing.
