Controversy is trailing the alleged indefinite detention, extortion and gross abuse of human rights by some policemen attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Ikeja, Lagos, against one Ekenechukwu Uwakwe, a motorcycle spare parts dealer at Ebute-Meta, Lagos.
According to family sources, Ekenechukwu travelled in December last year to his home town in Imo State for his traditional marriage and while there, he received information that he was wanted by the Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, Ikeja, in connection with allegations of armed robbery, kidnapping and Obtaining by Trick, popularly called 419.
Arrest of relations
Crime Alert learnt that in his absence, the SARS operatives allegedly arrested his elder sister, Nkechi Uwakwe and her Pastor. They were detained pending when Ekenechukwu would show up.
According to the family source who identified himself as Chief Umeh, after he was done with his traditional marriage, Ekenechukwu returned to Lagos on the fourth of January 2014, and immediately presented himself at SARS.
“Thereafter, the investigators purportedly demanded and received N175, 000 before granting bail to his sister, Nkechi and her Pastor, but since that day, Ekenechukwu has remained in detention without charge
Access restricted
“Since then, members of our family and at least, three different lawyers have visited SARS to see him and to find out the details and particulars of the allegations levelled against him, but have not been allowed to see him or to know who the Investigation Police Officer (IPO) is.
We therefore, had to look for help and we succeeded in contacting officials of Network on Police Reforms in Nigeria, NOPRIN, and they subsequently waded into action. What we are saying is that he should be charged to court if found culpable and not detained for so long under the well known inhuman condition at SARS.
NOPRIN reacts
When contacted, the National Coordinator of NOPRIN, Okechukwu Nwanguma told Crime Alert: “On Friday, October 9, 2014 after we received information concerning this case, one of our officials called the O/C SARS, Mr. Abba Kyari and inquired about the case.
He promised that Ekenechukwu would be taken to court the next Tuesday. By Monday, we made calls again to confirm from him the court the police planned to charge him to and the time, but he did not respond. Up to this morning, he has not answered any further calls or responded to several SMS.
“The family members of the detainee further informed us that one senior police officer attached to Federal SARS, Adeniji Adele, Lagos, had earlier demanded N1 million from them to enable him settle the allegation with the officers at SARS, Ikeja, but the indigent family was unable to produce this huge sum.
“As you well know, it is unconstitutional and a gross violation of the human rights of the detainee for the police to have detained the accused person for a period of nine months as at date without either granting him bail or charging him to court.
The law does not permit detention of anyone beyond the maximum period of 48 hours. We are requesting that a prompt, impartial and exhaustive investigation be carried out into the conduct of the officers at SARS and all those involved in this gross abuse of human rights and corrupt practice, he stated.
When contacted, Lagos State Police spokesman, Kenneth Nwosu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP, said he would cross check and get back to us but as at the time of going to press, he had not.’
No comments:
Post a Comment