EndSars Anambra State Judicial Panel Of Inquiry
EndSars Anambra State Judicial Panel Of Inquiry: Counsel To Mr. Peter Obi Asks Panel To Strike Out Petition Filed By Mr. Bonaventure Mokwe
Mr. Alex Ejesieme (SAN), counsel to the former governor of Anambra state, Mr. Peter Obi has asked the Anambra state Judicial Panel Of Inquiry on Police Brutality, Extra Judicial Killings and Other Related Matters to strike out the case filed by Mr. Bonaventure Mokwe for being subjudice, a pending litigation at the Court of Appeal, Enugu division.
Mr. Ejesieme (SAN) said that the panel of inquiry lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
He argued that while the prayer sought by the complainant at the court of Appeal Enugu is for the court to award him five billion naira compensation for unlawful arrest, torture, humiliation, attempted murder, and general damage by the defunct Special Anti Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police, Anambra state command, same complaint is also praying the panel to award him one hundred and two million naira only for same purpose.
He urged the court in the determination of his prayer to dismiss the suit filed by the complainant as the court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
Responding to the application of counsel to Mr. Peter Obi, counsel to the plaintiff, Prof. M.N Umenweke informed the panel that the applicant is neither a victim of SARS brutality, torture and unlawful detention nor a respondent in the matter, as only respondent in the case is SARS of the Nigeria police, Anambra state command.
Prof. M.N Umenweke added that for the fact that police is the sole respondent in the case, any other person in the matter is a meddlesome interloper.
Counsel to the petitioner further countered the argument of Mr. Peter Obi’s counsel that the panel lacks jurisdiction to entertain the matter, and made it clear that the panel according to the law establishing it, has all the necessary jurisdiction to entertain the case as the panel was set up to inquire into police brutality and extra judicial killings and not Mr. Peter Obi or any other person or group of persons and prayed the panel to dismiss the application of Mr. Peter Obi’s counsel and allow them to complete their addendum.
Counsel to the police, SP Innocent Obi in his submission said although the police had already filed a response to the petition filed by the petitioner, he aligned himself with the prayers sought by counsel to Mr. Peter Obi, Mr. Alex Ejesieme (SAN).
