One of the four suspects paraded
by the police in connection with the March 12, 2015 robbery of the Lekki branch
of First City Monument Bank, Ebi Tosan, has sued the police, seeking damages in
the sum of N1m.
by the police in connection with the March 12, 2015 robbery of the Lekki branch
of First City Monument Bank, Ebi Tosan, has sued the police, seeking damages in
the sum of N1m.
The twenty-year-old, who was
arrested on April 5, 2015, claimed that it was unlawful for the police to
continue to keep him in detention without admitting him to bail.
arrested on April 5, 2015, claimed that it was unlawful for the police to
continue to keep him in detention without admitting him to bail.
Tosan, who was paraded by the
police along with three others – Duke
Odogbo, 38; Lawrence Kingsley, 31; and Ekelemo Kuete, 30 – is therefore seeking
a court order directing the police to immediately release him on bail.
police along with three others – Duke
Odogbo, 38; Lawrence Kingsley, 31; and Ekelemo Kuete, 30 – is therefore seeking
a court order directing the police to immediately release him on bail.
The suspect’s lawyer, Chief S.W.
Baidi, argued that his client’s continued detention without bail was an
“infringement and curtailment of the applicant’s constitutional right to
personal liberty, freedom of movement and presumption of innocence.”
Baidi, argued that his client’s continued detention without bail was an
“infringement and curtailment of the applicant’s constitutional right to
personal liberty, freedom of movement and presumption of innocence.”
He is seeking a declaration that
his arrest, torture and continued detention by the State Anti-Robbery Squad,
Ikeja, without bail, was a violation of his human rights, preserved by sections
34(1)(a), 35(1)(4) and Section 41 of the 1999 constitution.
his arrest, torture and continued detention by the State Anti-Robbery Squad,
Ikeja, without bail, was a violation of his human rights, preserved by sections
34(1)(a), 35(1)(4) and Section 41 of the 1999 constitution.
In a 26-paragraph affidavit filed
in support of the originating summons, one Tamuno Amos, who addressed himself
as the suspect’s uncle, said he believed that his nephew’s continued detention
by the police was a deliberate act by the police to “extract a confessional
statement from him on the alleged offence.”
in support of the originating summons, one Tamuno Amos, who addressed himself
as the suspect’s uncle, said he believed that his nephew’s continued detention
by the police was a deliberate act by the police to “extract a confessional
statement from him on the alleged offence.”
Amos, who said he had not been
allowed to see his nephew since his arrest, claimed that “the applicant is
suffering on daily basis without access to food, bath and other conveniences
and he may die in custody unless granted bail.”
allowed to see his nephew since his arrest, claimed that “the applicant is
suffering on daily basis without access to food, bath and other conveniences
and he may die in custody unless granted bail.”
The suspect had, on July 9,
secured an order of Justice Lateefa Okunnu of a Lagos State High Court in
Ikeja, directing the police to produce him in court on July 16.
secured an order of Justice Lateefa Okunnu of a Lagos State High Court in
Ikeja, directing the police to produce him in court on July 16.
On Thursday, however, when the
matter came up, the police did not bring the suspect to court and his
originating summons slated for hearing could not be heard.
matter came up, the police did not bring the suspect to court and his
originating summons slated for hearing could not be heard.
Okunnu, while adjourning hearing
of the application till October 22, however ordered that the Lagos State
Attorney General should be joined as a respondent. She added that if there was
any urgency, the applicant could appear before October 22 before another judge
who will be sitting during the court’s annual vacation, which begins next week.
of the application till October 22, however ordered that the Lagos State
Attorney General should be joined as a respondent. She added that if there was
any urgency, the applicant could appear before October 22 before another judge
who will be sitting during the court’s annual vacation, which begins next week.
The original respondents in the
suit are the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and the Officer-in-Charge of
SARS, Ikeja, SP Abba Kyari.
suit are the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and the Officer-in-Charge of
SARS, Ikeja, SP Abba Kyari.
In the said robbery on Admiralty
Way, Lekki, Lagos, a gang of armed robbers, which Tosan and others allegedly
belonged to, reportedly stormed FCMB in the afternoon of March 12, wearing
military uniform and engaged the police in a gun battle before carting away
about N15m from the bank.
Way, Lekki, Lagos, a gang of armed robbers, which Tosan and others allegedly
belonged to, reportedly stormed FCMB in the afternoon of March 12, wearing
military uniform and engaged the police in a gun battle before carting away
about N15m from the bank.
About five persons, including
three policemen and a fish hawker, were reportedly killed while several others
sustained injuries during the non-stop shooting said to have lasted about 30
minutes.
three policemen and a fish hawker, were reportedly killed while several others
sustained injuries during the non-stop shooting said to have lasted about 30
minutes.
Source: Punch
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