Dismissed cop pleads
for mercy
By CHRIS ANUCHA
Thursday, April
17, 2008
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•Onyejelam
Photo: Sun News Publishing |
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Paul Onyejelam, a police corporal, who was dismissed in 1993,
but ordered by Court to be reinstated, has appealed to the
Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, to review his
case, with a view to re-absorbing him into the police.
After his orderly room trial and dismissal, Onyejelam, 38,
headed for the court to seek redress since, according to him,
he was not given a fair hearing. The court later ruled in
his favour, ordering the police to re-instate him.
According to him, based on the court judgment, he applied
to the then Inspector General of police for re-instatement.
The police authority acknowledged the receipt of the corporal’s
letter, written by his lawyer, J.O. Amadi. The letter, with
reference number AH./PC.7154/FPM/11, dated November 19, 1998,
signed by the Force Provost Marshal, Mr. Simeon Umeh, a Chief
Superintendent of Police (CSP).
The Force Provost Marshal informed the dismissed police officer
that the Inspector General of police had carefully reviewed
the appeal and ordered his re-instatement with effect from
the date of the dismissal in 1993. The same letter went ahead
to announce his dismissal again in accordance with Decree
17 of 1984, with effect from the same date he was re-instated.
“You are, therefore, advised to henceforth regard the
matter closed as no further correspondence will be entertained
from your client on this issue, please,” the letter
concluded.
The cop’s travails started in Okigwe police Division,
Imo State in June 1993 when a teenage suspect (boy) escaped
from the cell. He said he was on duty with two of his colleagues
who reported for duty earlier and took over from those on
night duty.
“When I reported for duty, I was told that a suspect
(teenage boy) escaped from the hands of my colleagues, who
took over from the officers that were on night duty,”
he said.
He explained that when the then Divisional Police Officer,
Mr. Amby Ikhifa was told about the incident, he ordered for
their orderly room trial.
“We were tried and recommended for dismissal,”
he told Daily Sun.
But when the then Imo State Commissioner of Police, went through
the trial, he ordered for a re-trial as the first one was
said to lack merit. He explained that before then, he was
on indefinite suspension without half salary as was the practice.
But as if there were unseen forces that wanted to nail him
at all costs, Onyejelam said they concealed the date of re-trial
from him. He was allegedly re-tried and dismissed in absentia.
“I applied to the CP according to the police rules but
the appeal did not see the light of the day. I appealed through
the DPO but he did not allow the appeal to get to the CP,”
he further said.
Since his letter of appeal to the CP was not allowed by the
DPO to get to him, the embattled corporal decided to go to
court to seek redress.
He said: “I went to court, the matter lasted for three
years in which case, the police authorities were represented
through their lawyers. Finally, a judgment was delivered in
my favour, ordering the police to re-instate me.”
It was when he applied for his re-instatement in 1999 that
the “fair is foul” letter that re-instated and
dismissed him immediately was written by the police, hiding
under the cover of decree 17 of 1984.
“We are now practising democracy and the decree has
been abrogated, I want the IG, Mr. Mike Okiro to look into
the matter and re-instate me. I still love police job, I want
to serve my father land.”
“I appeal to the IG to temper justice with mercy by
re-instating me as ordered by the court. Since my dismissal,
feeding my family of five has been difficult. All my children
have withdrawn from school to learn various trades since there
is no money to pay their school fees.”
He continued: “I know the IG listens to people and loves
democracy, I believe he will not ignore court order. From
what I have read in the newspapers and watched on the television,
he is IG that is in the vanguard of promoting rule of law.”
It would be recalled that a High Court in Imo State, with
Justice G. Ifunanya Udom-Azogu, as the Judge had on Tuesday,
January 16, 1996, delivered a judgment, ordering the police
to re-instate the dismissed Paul Onyejelam in a case against
the Minister for Police Affairs, the Inspector General of
Police, Imo State Police Commissioner and three others.
The court judgment reads: “It is hereby declared that
the purported dismissal of the Plaintiff via Exhibit C-21/10/93/C116460/IMS/DCS/OK/2/45
of 21/10/93 is wrongful, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.
The plaintiff shall be paid his entitlements, including all
outstanding salaries allowances payable to and due to him
from date of the purported dismissal to date.
The plaintiff is entitled to be re-instated. In the alternative
he shall be paid N500,000 damages for wrongful dismissal.
The defendant shall pay to the plaintiff costs of these proceeding
assessed at N1,000.”
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