The Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution, set up to investigate cases of police brutality and other related matters, has adjourned two cases till January 5 and 8, 2021, after some of those expected to appear before the panel failed to show up.
The panel commenced sitting at 11:00 am with only five out of the nine members present.
In the first case listed, the panel was to hear from the Nigerian Army.
On November 30, a Major-General Godwin Omelo was reportedly served a summon to appear before the panel today. But he was absent.
The panel was told that another Gen. Bello couldn’t be served with papers to appear as the service was refused.
The Counsel to the Panel, Jonathan Ogunsanya, has applied that service should be done through the Army’s counsel, Mr Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN).
The Counsel to the Lagos State Government, Olukayode Enitan (SAN) in his submission said the non-appearance of the military may not be unconnected with recent reports on the outbreak of COVID-19 among military high command, which led to the death of a General.
In her ruling, the Chairman of the Panel, Justice Doris Okuwobi ordered that Major General Bello be served through the Army’s counsel while fresh summons be issued to Major General Omelo to appear on the next adjourned date of Jan 8, 2021.
In the second petition involving Adebayo Abayomi, the police counsel, Emmanuel Eze told the panel that the police is still trying to effect the arrest of the officer who allegedly shot Abayomi’s mother.
At the last sitting of the panel on this case, Adebayo had narrated how his mother was shot by men of the SARS sometime in 2017.
He is seeking compensation and justice for his family.
The police counsel asked for a short adjournment to enable it call one DSP Yusuf as a witness.
The panel rises after adjourning the case to Jan 5, 2021.
