The Rivers State Police Command has clarified that the 10 days’ detention of the suspected thief who is involved in the stealing of N43 million worth of goods was lawful, based on a court order.
Responding through a statement made on behalf of the Commissioner of Police (CP), Olugbenga Adepoju on Monday, by the command spokesperson, Agabe Koborlo, said the detention of Clement Johnson was done according to the requirements of Section 296 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
This follows the report from an Abuja-based online newspaper over the arrest of Johnson who was accused of stealing of goods worth N43 million.
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It was noted that the detention of Johnson was done not arbitrarily but in accordance with the legal provision of the court, and that it did not breach the time limit provided by the law.
“The Command wishes to state unequivocally that the detention in question is lawfuf,” the statement noted, adding that the case falls squarely within the legal framework of the ACJA.
However, despite the justification for their actions, the Command insisted on transparency and accountability. In this regard, CP Adepoju has instructed an investigation into the entire incident.
The police boss also ordered the immediate release of the suspect or his arraignment before the court. The investigations must continue with the intent of ensuring proper prosecution according to the law.
Kaborlo, restated the commitment of the Command to due process in dealing with criminal offenses.
