By Ayodele Oni
A legal practitioner, Tope Temokun, has observed that continued refusal of Ondo State Government to implement report of the panel on police brutality, popularly known as #EndSars amounts to waste of public funds on the Panels.
Temokun pointed out that under the Commission of Inquiry Law of Ondo State, the Governor has a duty imposed by law, after receiving the reports of commission of inquiry set up.
“The law is not for fun. Putting up such huge exercise by law is not also a joke. The duty imposed on the governor is a serious one. And it does not include keeping away or hiding such report from the public.”
In a statement on Friday in Akure the legal practitioner stated that
“And it does not include keeping away or hiding such report from the public. The duty includes the releasing of the report to members of the public.
“In this case, public fund was dissipated into that exercise and the poor victims, embracing hopes and trusting in the government, travelled distances from the various communities of the state to come and present their complaints.
“The panel had completed its historical and statutory role and had submitted report. Conscience had become clear that they have completed their job.
“This country bled for long under the disbanded SARS and the victims need the government to heal their wounds.
“So the purpose of that exercise was to ensure that justice was done to victims of police brutality, extra-judicial killings and infringement of the fundamental human rights of the people.
“Holding on to such panel report is illegal, immoral and it is an unpardonable sin against humanity. It is against good conscience to deny victims of hopes.
“We call on the government of Ondo Sate to purge itself of this sinful act and release the report to the public and implement same. We shall approach the court to enforce this if the government fails to heed.”
The Federal executive Council, in its meeting held on Friday, 16th October 2020, directed state governors to put in place panels of inquiry to look into rampant cases of police brutality.
This led to inauguration of various panels were across the states of the federation.
In Ondo State, Governor Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, pursuant to the powers vested on him under section 2 of the Commission of Inquiry Law, Cap. 32 Vol. 1 Laws of Ondo State 2006, constituted an eight-man panel of inquiry to receive and investigate complaints of police brutality or related judicial killings by the police in Ondo state.
The panel was also mandated to recommend compensation and other remedial measures for victims. The eight-man Judicial Panel of Inquiry, headed by retired Hon. Justice Adesola Sidiq, was constituted on October 20 2020.
After hearing about 77 petitions from members of the public who have suffered one degree of brutality or the other in the hands of the police in Ondo state, on Wednesday the 28th of April 2021 the panel submitted its recommendation to the governor.
It recommended among others, payment of compensation of N755million to victims. Justice Sidiq panel did not only recommend payment of monetary compensation but also recommended publication of apologies in national dailies in deserving cases.
