A distraught father, Christopher Ukpuru, yesterday, told the Delta State Judicial Panel of Enquiry into Police Brutality and Extra-Judicial Killings sitting in Asaba that he was yet to see his 31-year-old son, Counsellor, since August 8, 2019 when he was allegedly arrested by the police.
Mr. Ukpuru told the panel that he received a call while at work, that his son was arrested, and that he quickly took permission to locate the police station he was being held.
Ukpuru said he went round all stations in Asaba but could not find his son, adding that when he went back to “A” Division, a friend of his who is a police officer confirmed that the son was indeed arrested.
Counsel to the petitioner, Mr. Inang who examined his client under oath, made oral application for the panel to subpoena the said police officer friend at “A” Division with a view to eliciting more information from him.
The panel chairman, Justice Celestina Ogisi (Retd) adjourned further hearing on the petition to November 10. The panel also adjourned proceedings to November 4.
Justice Ogisi, however, decried the poor response from members of the public in submitting memoranda to the committee.
She said the response was not encouraging despite several advertorials calling for memoranda from victims of police brutality or extra-judicial killings since the panel was constituted last month.
She solicited the cooperation of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) branches in the state to assist in making their services available on pro bono basis to victims who in most cases are indigent in preparation of their memoranda before the panel.