The Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution for Victims of SARS related Abuses and Lekki Tollgate incident has summoned the former spokesman of Lagos State Police Command, Dolapo Badmus, to identify an officer who allegedly brutalised a petitioner, Olajide Fowotade.
The panel, headed by Justice Doris Okuwobi, on Saturday, ordered that Badmus must appear before it to identify Sergeant Ayo, who allegedly brutalised the petitioner in a traffic dispute along Ketu-Ikosi Road while he was returning from his workplace in 2017.
The petitioner told the panel that he did not know the surname of the police officer who brutalised him, but could only identified him as “Ayo” from Ketu Police Station.
The 60-year-old contractor, however, said that Badmus knows the name of the sergeant and can identify him because she called him to say that the police authorities were interested in the case.
The petitioner said Badmus got to know about his alleged maltreatment when two national newspapers published it on March 14, 2017.
Police lawyer, Emmanuel Eze, told the panel the police legal team was unable to reach the accused officer.
“The petitioner did not mention the surname of Ayo. We could not trace the name to Zone 2 where he claimed to have reported the incident. We could not make headway,” Eze told the #ENDSARS panel.
“We need to get the case file of Ayo and his contact. We are constrained to ask for an adjournment because we are without the Ayo or the case file,” he added.
Justice Okuwobi, in a short ruling, said the summons should be served on Badmus and that the police counsel should ensure that the summons gets to her.
Further hearing on the case was adjourned till January 15, 2021. – Vanguard.
