From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
The Edo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry for victims of SARS and related abuses has announced that it would review the petition brought before it by counsel to late Ibrahim Momodu, Barr Jefferson Uwoghiren, against a retired Chief Superintendent of Police, Carol Afegbai, on January 6, 2021.
The panel, at the resumed hearing on Monday, unanimously agreed to review the petition since the retired cop had failed to appear before it despite the order of arrest issued against her and suing the panel to forestall her appearance before it.
On December 1, the panel ordered the immediate arrest of CSP Carol Afegbua (retd) for failing to appear before it to explain his alleged complicity in the murder of a 500 Level student of University of Benin, Ibrahim Momodu.
The late Ibrahim Momodu, 22, a 500 Level student of Faculty of Laboratory Science, University of Benin, was murdered in 2013.
The said late Momodu, the only male child of his parents, was allegedly shot a stone’s throw from his family home at 1, Igbobaewaye Street, off Siluko road by Textile Mill junction.
The Chairman of the panel, Justice Ada Ehigiamusoe (retd), said the panel is time-bound and cannot wait until the High Court ruling on the matter before it just, saying the duty of the panel to fact-find and also make recommendations on matters brought before it.
On that, Justice Ehigiamusoe sought the opinion of her co-panellists and unanimously agreed that the petition should be deferred to January 6, 2021, for a review.
The counsel to the late Ibrahim Momodu, Jefferson Uwoghiren, said the accused should have appeared before the panel if she has nothing to hide from the public.
