9th December, 2020
Jethro Ibileke/Benin
A retired Divisional Police Officer in Edo state, CSP Carol Afegbai, has dragged the Edo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry for victims of SARS and related abuses before a Benin High Court, challenging its right to compel her to appear before it.
The panel had on 1 December, issued a warrant for the immediate arrest of Afegbai, over his failure to appear before it.
The panel had invited her to explain her alleged role in the murder of a 500-level student of University of Benin, Ibrahim Momodu, in 2013.
Momodu was the only son of his mother.
Justice Ehigiamusoe, had said: “It is of the view therefore, of this panel, that the respondent having failed to appear before the said panel, a warrant of arrest should be issued against her to appear before the said panel.
“Accordingly, it is hereby ordered that a warrant of arrest be issued forthwith on the said respondent who is named Carol Afegbai, who shall appear before this panel, following the order of this panel on the 9th day of December, 2020.”
But at the resumption of hearing on Wednesday, chairman of the panel, Justice Ada Ehigiamusoe told Jefferson Uwoghiren Esq., counsel to the family of late Ibrahim Momodu, that they (panel) have been served a court paper from the High Court, restraining them for inviting CSP Carol Afegbai before it.
Ehigiamusoe said “the panel would honour the summon to show to other Nigerians that they have respect for the judicial system of the country.”
Commenting on the issue, counsel to the late Ibrahim Momodu’s family, Uwoghiren, who described the action of CSP Carol Afegbai as an ambush, queried why he was not served the court application.