A witness who appeared before the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution which began sitting yesterday lamented to the panel members how SARS operatives brutalized and sold off properties of one of their victims.
The judicial panel presided over by Justice Doris Okuwobi, commenced its sittings on Tuesday with its first petitioner, Okoli Agu Abunike.
Abunike, while being led in evidence by his counsel, Olalekan Gazali, narrated his ordeal in the hands of the dreaded police unit, claiming that he was detained without trial for 47 days.
The petitioner claimed, “I was arrested, beaten and paraded at Alaba International Market by SARS operatives and later taken to Ojo Police Station after my former boss accused me of fraud.
“The incident happened in 2012. I worked with a company for four and a half years, I had stated that I wanted to resign and my then boss authenticated my resignation.
“After some days I was called back to the office for some clarification and I was promptly arrested by police at the Ojo Police Station and from there I was taken to SARS. I was told that my boss said something happened. I was beaten, stripped and paraded by SARS around the Alaba International Market as a thief, my head was broken and lost a lot of blood. I sustained so many injuries and I still have the scars.
“I spent 47 days in SARS office in Ikeja. They removed two of my teeth. My family did not know my whereabout. Eventually, when my mother and my wife came, one Inspector Sunday popularly called ‘Baba Ijapa’ and ACP Haruna beat them in my presence.
“One day my mother visited and she told me that everything is gone. They took all my properties – My house, phones, cars, generator, everything. I was told by SARS to confess and my former boss said that I must produce the missing goods and if I don’t, I will die there. I said I will never confess to committing any crime.”
Abunike said he was later released from SARS custody after which he filed a fundamental human rights enforcement suit against SARS at the Federal High Court Lagos before Justice Ibrahim Buba
He revealed that the judge delivered judgment in his favour in his favour, ordering SARS to pay him N10 million as damages. Abunike, however, maintained that efforts to get the judgment sum have been futile.
He further told the panel members that “Since then, my belongings have not been given back to me. The only thing we have gotten back through legal processes is the documents for my land, through a judgment delivered by Justice Bola OkikiOlu- Ighile in Badagry.”
He noted that he has not been found guilty of any crime by the justice system and that he is yet to receive his N10 million court ordered compensation. He requested the panel to compel the police to carry out the court order.
