Anambra state Judicial Panel Of Inquiry On Police Brutality, Extra-Judicial Killings And Other Related Matters has recommenced sitting in Awka as part of the state government’s efforts towards giving justice to victims of the defunct Special Anti-Rubbery Squad, SARS, brutality and extra-judicial killings.
The proceeding which took place at ASATU Hall, Government House Awka, witnessed the presence of some petitioners who submitted them before the Panel , under oath.
Correspondent, Emmanuel Okonkwo reports that the panel presided over by Justice Veronica Umeh has treated forty petitions out of the three hundred and ten petitions presented to the panel by Anambra residents.
Throughout the proceeding, the Nigeria Police representative did not show up, neither did they present any response to the petitions filed by the petitioners.
The Chairman of the Panel, Justice Umeh in a remark, stressed the need for the Panel to be fast enough to be able to do justice to the remaining two hundred and seventy petitions and complete its assignment on schedule and according to specification .
Justice Umeh assured that the panel and the state government will do everything possible to serve the petitioners the deserved justice, and urged them to always show up whenever they are summoned by the Panel.
One of the Petitioners who spoke to the ABS, Mr Nestor Chukwuka, narrated how he was unlawfully arrested and detained by the defunct SARS operatives in 2019, which led to the crumbling of his restaurant business and failure to repay loan received from the federal government.
Recall that the Panel was inaugurated on the twentieth of October, 2020, by Governor Willie Obiano, to receive and investigate the complaints of Police brutality, relating to torture, high handedness and alleged extra judicial killings by the defunct SARS and Police in the state.
The panel will also evaluate evidence presented and other surrounding circumstances and draw conclusions regarding the validity of the complaints, as well as recommend to the state government.
Comments are closed for this post.