The independent investigative panel on human rights violations by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other police units set up by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) was, on Monday, told that the remains of a brother to a petitioner before the panel was in the mortuary.
This was disclosed to the panel by two officers of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team who are respondent in the petition filed by a councillor in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, Honourable Confidence Leera, against SP Martin Samuel; DSP Essien Edet; ASP David Ameh Agbo; IGP-IRT, “D” Division Itam, Uyo; Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State and the IGP.
Leera had filed the petition, marked 2020/IIP-SARS/ABJ/117, alleging unlawful arrest and enforced disappearance of his brother, Edward Dumisara Leera, Tribune reports.
Asked by the chairman of the panel, Justice Suleiman Galadima (retd), during their appearance today before the panel, ASP Agbo told the panel that Edward’s remains were at the mortuary of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) in Port Harcourt.
According to Agbo, “Dumisara is in the mortuary at UPTH. He died in the cause of investigation. He died on June 20, 2020 , in Bowei community in Khana LGA of Rivers State.”
The IRT officer stated that the petitioner’s brother died in the cause of investigation of armed robbery, the murder of two policemen and attempted murder of two civilian drivers of July 1, 2019, at Diobu, Port Harcourt.
He gave the name of the murdered policemen as Sergeant Nasiru Fate and Sergeant Habila Saleh, adding that the two civilian drivers were Mr Innocent Ihenukara and Mr Innocent Inoha.
SP Samuel confirmed what Agbo told the panel, declaring that, “all he (Agbo) said is correct.”
The petitioner had on November 16 while being led in his evidence in chief before the panel by his counsel, Victor Giwa, alleged that his younger brother was arrested on November 1, 2019, by Agbo for their failure to pay the sum of N3million to the officer.
He said that Edward, who he claimed was a repentant cultist, was first arrested on July 30, 2019, in company with the Khana LGA chairman and nine others by the IGP-IRT but was released on August 17, 2019, on bail.
He added that on September 14, 2019, ASP Agbo told him to tell the council chairman to pay the sum of N3million to settle his bosses in Abuja for the closure of his brother’s case.
The petitioner told the panel that his brother disappeared on November 1, 2019, only for Agbo to call him (petitioner) on November 3, 2019, that he was the one who arrested Edward for the failure to pay the N3million he requested.
Meanwhile, following the request of counsel for both Agbo and Samuel, Gabriel Urom Okpatam and DSP Edet as well as counsel for the IGP and CP, Akwa Ibom, James Idachaba, for an adjournment, the chairman of the panel, Justice Galadima (retd), adjourned the petition till January 11, 2021.
The counsels had told the panel that there was a need for them to study the documents attached to the sworn deposition made by the petitioner, dated December 4, 2020, to enable them to cross-examine him.
