From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
For the extra-judicial killing of 19-year-old Tarila Nikade along Tenacious road, Yenagoa in 2019, dismissed Police Sergeant, Timade Emmanuel was over the weekend sentenced to death by hanging.
Nikade was an undergraduate student of the state owned Niger Delta University (NDU) and was on a 4.42 CGPA before he was killed.
Bayelsa State High Court 2 presided over by Justice Margaret Ayemieye in a two –count charge of conspiracy to commit murder and murder declared that the prosecution proved that Emmanuel shot the deceased in the back in cold blood.
The human rights committee of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) which formed part of the prosecution team had presented three witnesses to secure the conviction of Emmanuel.
Before his conviction, Emmanuel who was arrested after outrage and protests greeted the killing of Nikade had been subjected to an orderly trial prompting his dismissal from the Police force.
A member of the NBA National Public Interest Litigation Committee, Wisdom Meni Adike who spoke after the conviction of Emmanuel explained that the prosecution of the killer policeman lasted for two years despite the initial attempts by some senior policemen from the State Police Command to frustrate his prosecution and conviction.
He disclosed that in 2019, the Human Right Committee of NBA Sagbama through the then chairman, Dise Sheila Ogbise and the incumbent Chairman, George Ebinyu Aderigha ensured that diligent investigation was conducted over the death of Nikade.
” We immediately went to the scene of the crime. The NBA Sagbama Branch conducted high level investigation because the death of Tarila Nikade created a loud outcry from the general public.”
“The investigation of the murder of Tarila Nikade, was filled with lots of issues including that of conflict of interest where the NBA Sagbama had to fight out with the Nigerian Police Force. The Officer Timade Emmanuel was immediately tried in Orderly Room trial by the Nigerian Police Force and later found guilty and dismissed. We later dragged him to court for murder.”
“At a point, NBA case file was almost hijacked but we insisted on getting copies of all the case files with the police. We also took all the witnesses into protective custody over alleged threats by friends of the culpable policeman. They had no choice but to cooperate with us. Autopsy and witnesses’ account showed he was shot in the back. The deceased boy was a student who was learning barbing during holiday before he was shot dead in cold blood.”
Adike described the verdict of the Court as a victory to all who worked in truth for the true attainment of Justice.
“We are satisfied. We commend the State Ministry of Justice and its counsel who took charge of the matter, the then legal adviser of NBA, Sagbama now the chairman, Aderigha and the Nikade family for standing strong in the midst of tribulations. Finally, it is a duty we owe ourselves to see that Justice in our society, checks and balances is maintained”.