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  • Crime
  • Updated: October 27, 2020

 #LagosSarsPanel: Victim Narrates How SARS Detained Him For 48 Days, Sold His Properties

 #LagosSarsPanel: Victim Narrates How SARS Detained Him For

Series of unsavoury experiences have started unraveling at the Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution for victims of SARS-related abuses.

At the hearing of the panel which started today, one of the victims, Okoli Agwu Abunike while narrating his ordeal at the hearing told the panel how two officers of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) detained him for 48 days and sold his properties.

Okoli's hearing was petition number LASG/JPI/01/2020 lasted for about one hour and twenty minutes. The father of five revealed that one Inspector Sunday and ASP Haruna allegedly arrested him, detained, and tortured him on the orders of their boss who had accused him of fraud.

Following his ordeal with the SARS officers, Okoli stated that they impoverished and dehumanized him as he now runs all kinds of errands so he can feed his family.

According to Okoli: “I worked for a company for four and a half years as a manager. After my resignation, my boss invited me for the authentication of my resignation. When I got there, my boss had me arrested by police officers from Ojo police station.

“I was later taken to Ikeja Police Command where I was manhandled and brutalized by Inspector Sunday popularly known as Baba Ijapa and ASP Haruna. I was labelled a fraudster and was beaten, severely injured, dehumanized and dragged all around Alaba International Market. I was also taken to my church and disgraced before the congregation for an offence I knew nothing about.

READ ALSO: #LagosSarsPanel: Complete List Of Lagos Judicial Panel On Police Brutality In Lagos

“On the instruction of my boss, I was detained for 48 days and a bucket filled with cement was strapped at my back. I had bruise all over my body and two of my teeth were removed. The officers beat my wife and mother and they threatened to kill me if I did not confess to embezzling my company’s fund.

“They took all my property. They seized my house and sold my car to make up for the money they said I had embezzled. My boss also threatened to kill me if I did not pay back all the money I stole. The case was taken before Hon Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court and he awarded a damage of N10m against the police. But between 2016 and 2020, I have not seen anything. They have not complied with the judgment.

“They sold my land and car. In fact, the person the land was sold to dragged me before a Magistrate Court in Badagry and the Magistrate remanded me in Kpotopiri prison for three days for my inability to meet up with N50,000 fine. I want to appeal to this honourable panel to compel the police to honour the judgment of the court and return all my property or pay the damage because I have lost everything that I now live in running errands for people to feed my family.”

Out of the four cases of police brutality mentioned before the panel on Tuesday, two of the petitioners were absent while the head of the panel, retired Justice Doris Okuwobi requested for the appearance of Lagos state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu to proceed with the fourth case and adjourned sitting to Friday, October 30 at 10 am following the absence of petitioners at the panel's inaugural hearing.

Other cases mentioned include LASG/JPI/02/2020 by Ndukwue Ekekwue who had his spinal cord broken by a SARS operative.

His case was adjourned to November 3 while petition number LASG/JPI/03/2020 by Olukoya Ogungbeje and LASG/JPI/05/2020 by Bassey Ejigua were adjourned to November 6, 2020.

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