End SARS: Judicial panel disposes 23 cases in Osun

The Osun Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality, Human Rights Violations and Related Extra Judicial Killings, on Friday said it has disposed of 23 cases out of 34 petitions before it.

The chairman of the panel, Justice Akin Oladimeji (rtd.), disclosed this on Friday in Osogbo while speaking with journalists.

He disclosed that it reserved its recommendations as part of efforts to ensure justice and adequate compensations for all.

The retired Justice said the panel reserved its recommendations in some of the cases already concluded in line with judicial procedure.

Justice Oladimeji, who reaffirmed the commitment of the panel to ensure fairness and equity in all the petitions brought before it, said members of the panel had been working rigorously to ensure adequate compensations to those with good cases.

“We struck out 12 cases out of 23 cases that we have concluded and 3 cases had reached the final address stage, while 8 cases are pending for hearing and further hearing,” Oladimeji added.

Asked why the panel has not been awarding compensations to petitioners with genuine cases, Oladimeji said, “It is conventional to complete all the cases before awarding compensations”.

A petitioner, Chief Jelili Adegoke Raheem, had voluntarily withdrawn his petition before the panel following his decision to settle the matter.

The petitioner had in his petition claimed that he was beaten to stupor by one Superintendent Dayo Ezekiel who allegedly punched him for no reason on October 2nd, 2020 while exiting a motor-park around Oke-Baale, Osogbo.

The Counsel for the petitioner, Barrister Michael Akinwande, in an application forwarded before the panel for the withdrawal of the case, said his client had settled the matter amicably with the accused person before the adjournment.

He said it was interesting to know that the erring officer had complied with the order of the superior police officer that had earlier charged him to formally apologise to his client before the case was brought before the panel.

The panel however adopted the final address written by the counsel for Mr. Ibrahim Olagoke who had petitioned the police for brutality.