28th March, 2021
By Muhaimin Olowoporoku
After the Lagos Judicial panel compensated four petitioners to the tune of N16 million, two other petitioners were denied compensation by the panel.
The petitioners were the family of late Eni Idum and Oladoyin Ademola.
Justice Doris Okuwobi in her ruling held that based on evidence tendered petitioner could not establish their case and the panel is unable to award any compensation.
Francis Eni Idum was not shot by police – panel
Francis Eni Idum a physically challenged man, according to his family members was killed by police officers at Ajisegiri Street, Ilupeju.
Elder Kayode, a church member to the deceased testified before the panel that Mr Idum was killed by a bullet allegedly shot by police officers when they came to arrest some cultists at Ilupeju on July 15, 2019.
Justice Doris, however, ruled that the panel found out that the deceased was killed by an “unidentified person” taking into evidence the testimony of the respondent.
The retired judge said the petitioner did not establish his case by showing that it was a weapon handled by the police that killed the deceased.
“After the deceased has been shot, his corpse was taken away by police officers led by the Area Commander, Area F Command, while the shell of a bullet with serial number BS99m, Lugar pistol was recovered beside the body of the deceased,” she said.
The panel chair said despite several petitions written to the police and the state government on the incident, the police could not carry out the operation they went for on July 15 at Asigeri street due to the overwhelming crowd and volatile situation on the ground.
“There was no direct evidence given as to the exact person who shot the deceased, none of the petitioner’s witnesses that testified in respect of the case were eyewitnesses of the incident as they were not at the scene when he was shot.
“The petitioner could not establish that the bullet whose shell was found near the deceased was from the weapon used by the police. The evidence of the police witnesses and the movement of arms register remain uncontroverted as the police only signed out AK 47 as operational weapons for that day.”
She ruled that based on this, the petitioner was unable to establish his case and the panel could not award any compensation.
No compensation for Oladoyin Ademola
Oladoyin Ademola, another petitioner told the panel previously how he was slapped multiple times by police officers at Dopemu checkpoint resulted in him suffering cataract.
Justice Doris said the panel found that police officers were at the Dopemu checkpoint and the DPO of Dopemu police station ought to be investigated.
“The petitioner did not connect the cataract he suffered to the act of the police. The panel cannot hold the police responsible for the cataract he suffered,” the retired judge said.
Mrs. Okuwobi said the panel is unable to award any compensation in his case.