EndSARS: Drama as Police officer describes affidavit as court order in Ogun

  

ABEOKUTA – There was a mild drama at the Ogun State Judicial Panel of Inquiry into human right abuse, brutality by police as a police officer, ASP Aina Morenikeji, said an affidavit is a court order.

Morenikeji said he stopped the investigation of the death of one Segun Elegbede, who died in police custody, because he received an affidavit from one Sunday Elegbede, a nephew of the deceased.

According to the Assistant Superintendent of Police, the affidavit was a court order because it has the stamp of the Ogun State High Court.

Morenikeji appeared before the Panel as the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) in the death of Elegbede, who was said to have died in police detention on October 20, 2016.

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Wife of the deceased, Fatimo Elegbede, through her counsel, Barr. Femi Aina, had filed a petition before the panel, alleging that her husband was shot dead by operatives of the dissolved Federal Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS), who she said were in Ajibawo to arrest him over an allegation.

It was gathered that the counsel had written a letter to the police authority, asking that a post mortem be conducted to ascertain the cause of Segun’s death.

But, it was said that the corpse was released and buried without any investigation.

While being cross-examined by the counsel, Morenikeji said, “I stopped investigation because there was a court order brought to me by one Sunday Elegbede.”

When he was asked to mention the name of the judge who granted the order, the cop brought out an affidavit signed by the said Sunday, saying “an affidavit is a court order it was signed and stamped by the High Court.”

At this point, the panel was amazed that a man, who claimed to have spent 30 years in the police force does not know the difference between an affidavit and a court order, enlightening him that an affidavit is just a statement made under oath by an individual.

During cross-examination, Barr Aina pointed out that there was a letter dated November 1, 2016 from the Inspector-General of Police that a post mortem should be carried out on the deceased.

Morenikeji disclosed that he could not carry out the IGP’s order because of the affidavit, which he interpreted to be a court order.

Reacting, the panel described the IPO as a very incompetent officer, saying “a normal court would have committed you to prison.”

The matter was adjourned till April 1, 2021 for further hearing.