Posted by From Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja on
The judicial commission of inquiry looking into the extra-judicial killing of six Apo village traders in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja yesterday got treated to yet another gory tale when two witnesses, relations to one of the victims, Paulinus Joseph Ogbonna, accused the police of extorting N6,500 from them.
The judicial commission of inquiry looking into the extra-judicial killing of six Apo village traders in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja yesterday got treated to yet another gory tale when two witnesses, relations to one of the victims, Paulinus Joseph Ogbonna, accused the police of extorting N6,500 from them.They said they were detained when they went to the police station to make enquiries about Ogbonna's whereabouts and had to pay N6,500 to regain their freedom.
The witnesses, led in evidence a counsel to the families of the victims, Chief Innocent Nwufo, said on June 8, 2005 following the Ogbonna's disappearance, they complained at the FCT Police Station.
On getting to the station, they said the desk officer, one Mr. Alhassan asked them to write a statement on their complaint.
However the ordeal of the two witnesses,. Celestine Okeke and Aloysius Chukwu began immediately they handed over the statement to Alhassan who told they were under arrest.
Led on oath, Okeke said Alhassan told them that they would only regain their freedom if they produce someone who can provide a N5,000 bail bond.
According to Okeke, the police officer after collecting their statement said, " Welcome, you are now under arrest".
"He threatened to lock us in the cell along with other criminals if we did not hasten up and produce the money", the witness said.
He said that all their pleas for freedom were to no avail as Alhassan appeared to have made up his mind.
Because neither of them had the amount on them, they pleaded that Alhassan assign someone to follow them outside the station to source for money from another relation who was waiting by the gate to the police station.
They met the third witness, Mr. Lawrence Chukwu Ali at the gate and collected N2,500 from him to pay as deposit. They alleged that Alhassan refused to accept the deposit until they agreed to leave a handset as a form of surety so they could go home and come back the following day with the balance.
Recounting his experience, Ali said when they brought the balance of N2,500 the following day, Alhassan requested for another N1,500 saying the N5,000 was for "his boss".
Ali however broke down and wept profusely when he was asked to identify Ogbonna's bullet riddled corpse.
In tears he said his brother was a dedicated business man and never an armed robber.
The witnesses reaffirmed the earlier demand of the deceased families for the prosecution of indicted policemen. They also asked for a financial compensation to the tune of N100 million to each of the victims' families.
Speaking on how to reform the Police, Ali said every serving police personnel be made to obtain two signatories from either their former school teachers or their respective traditional rulers.
The lead counsel to the deceased families, Mr. Amobi Nzelu had shortly after commencement of proceedings.
Asked for the release of the bodies of the deceased traders to their families so they could be given a befitting burial. However, the motion was stood down after the presiding Justice Goodluck Olasumbo observed some errors in the application.