Posted by By OLA AGBAJE on
A Police officer has cried out to the acting Inspector General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, to ensure that the authorities comply with a court judgement that ordered his reinstatement.
A Police officer has cried out to the acting Inspector General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, to ensure that the authorities comply with a court judgement that ordered his reinstatement.
Inspector Sunday Agbebaku and the late Emmanuel Ogunlade won the case they instituted against their dismissal from the Police Force in January 1994.
According to the judgement of Justice Dan Abutu of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, the dismissal of the two cops was illegal, null and void, and of no effect.
Besides, the court ordered the immediate reinstatement of Agbebaku and Ogunlade who died shortly before the court judgement.
However, four years after the court's verdict delivered on July 4, 2001, the Police authorities are yet to comply with the order. And as a result, Agbebaku's family is now in disarray. While Agbebaku's condition remain pitiful owing to his helplessness, his wife of many years has deserted him because of the grinding effect of the attendant poverty in the household. The petitioner claims he is now saddled with the responsibility of looking after the children, in addition to facing constant harassment from his landlord, who is threatening to take possession of his apartment because of his inability to pay rent.
Speaking to Daily Sun amidst earnest pleas to the acting IGP to look into his matter and ensure justice is done, the middle-aged cop narrated his travail since his dismissal from the Police Force, and how his bubbling hope on account of the court judgement of four years ago is fast turning into a mirage.
Agbebaku said: 'I was a police officer with the rank of Inspector and attached to Area ‘D' headquarters in Mushin, Lagos. That was where I was serving before the unfortunate incident of January 24, 1994.
'On that day, I resumed duty as usual, and a couple of hours later, the Area Commander invited me and the late Inspector Emmanuel Ogunlade to his office only to bring out for our information, a letter which he said, conveyed news of our purported dismissal to him.
'I was baffled and shocked to receive such bad news. More surprising was the fact that no reason was given as ground for the dismissal. I wondered what led to that development, as I was neither having any skeleton in my cupboard, nor have I had any previous matter to contend with anybody that could warrant such action from the police authorities.
'Convinced of my innocence, I put up a petition to the Inspector General of Police to use his fatherly position to intervene in the matter in the interest of justice and fair play."
However, when there was no response from the police boss, the embattled Inspector contacted a lawyer who took up the matter in court.
After eight years of legal battle, Justice Abutu restored hope to Agbebaku and the late Inspector Ogunlade's family in his judgement of July 4, 2001. He declared their dismissal null and void, and ordered the reinstatement of the officers with all their outstanding entitlement paid up to date.
However, almost four years after the judgement, Agbebaku has not enjoyed the fruit of his legal victory, as the police authorities have not obeyed the court order.
Inspector Agbebaku said: 'We served the office of the Inspector General with copies of the judgement but to date, there was no response of any sort. My lawyer even visited Abuja in the same instance, yet no response. Late last year, I was reliably informed that the former IGP was about to attend to my case file when his trouble started.
'That is why I am appealing to the new police boss to take a look at my file and ensure that the court judgement is obeyed to save me and my children from this suffering. My wife has left me because of the poor situation I found myself. Presently, I am without any means of livelihood and she thought she could no longer bear the hardship and she left the children and I. To further compound the problem, my landlord has given me three months final grace to quit his house or face the ignoble prospect of being forcibly thrown out.
'I am appealing to the IGP to look at my file and ensure justice is done in the name of God who created us. I believe that he is a man that fears God and loves justice that is why I am appealing to him as someone who had spent all my productive years in the Force."
Agbebaku's counsel, Steve Adaramoye expressed surprise that the police, which is the only institution solely created for the maintenance of law and order, and enforcement of same could exhibit such disregard for the sacred order of the court.
'I feel rather sad about the situation. I don't know why the Police should be behaving like this even in a democratic setting. It is rather unfortunate. If the police authorities, over the years could treat sacred order of the court like this, then, where is the hope for Nigerians? How can they safeguard and protect the liberty of the average Nigerian when they treat court order with such disdain," Adaramoye said.
He expressed optimism that in the interest of justice, fair play and protection of the image of the Nigeria Police Force, the IGP would rise up to the challenge of obeying and complying with the court order as contained in the judgment of Justice Abutu of July 4, 2001.
He added: 'I know he is a highly respected gentleman who fears God. He will do something about the matter. As a lawyer, he would do everything to respect the court."