#EndSARS: Ogun Panel orders prosecution of police sergeant for stabbing weight lifter
Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta
The Ogun State Judicial Panel of Investigation on police brutality, human rights violations and extra judicial killings by security operatives has recommended a Police Sergeant, Gbenga Olajide for prosecution in a court of competent jurisdiction for attempted murder.
The Panel of Investigation, açcording to its Media Officer, Femi Osipitan, made the recommendation at its sitting in Abeokuta during which the police sergeant admitted that he was guilty of stabbing one Mr. Olusola Oladunjoye in the neck with a knife in February, 2017.
Oladunjoye had earlier in a petition alleged that Sergeant Olajide stabbed him when he went to a bank in Abeokuta for transaction.
Narrating his experience, the petitioner, a Weight Lifter who came fourth in the 69kg category while representing Nigeria in India in the year 2008 said, “I went to a bank in Abeokuta, to withdraw money in preparation for my trip to Cuba to participate in the Weight Lifting Festival of 2017.
There were cars and motorcycles packed in front of the bank and for me to pass, I jumped over a motorcycle and a police officer accosted me asking if I knew the implication of my action? While still speaking with me, another officer named Gbenga Olajide slapped me from the back and later stabbed me on the side of the neck with a knife.”
Speaking during cross examination, Sergeant Olajide informed the panel that after the incident, he was tried and charged for an offence of discreditable conduct, found guilty, locked up for more than a month and also reduced to a Corporal by the Nigeria Police Force in year 2017 through the office of the Provost, Ogun State Command in care of 16PMF with signal CH6450/OGS/PROV/VOL 21/312 DTO 231549/02/2017.
In a chat with journalists, the Panel Chairman, Justice Solomon Olugbemi explained that the panel was left with no other option than to recommend the police sergeant for immediate prosecution having discovered that he had also fraudulently gotten himself promoted to the rank of Inspector and had even received Inspector salary.
Justice Olugbemi revealed that the prosecution becomes necessary because the officer was brought from Akure, Ondo State and may escape justice if allowed to go away without immediate investigation and trial, adding that the Panel would make further appropriate recommendations to government.
The Chairman thereafter ordered that Olajide be immediately handed over to the Ogun State Commissioner of Police through the Command Provost, SP Gbadamosi Dende for proper investigation, orderly room retrial and prosecution for the offense of attempted murder.
The Panel is of the view that no investigation was carried out to enable officer Olajide be prosecuted for the attempted murder offense allegedly committed by him, instead he was merely given administrative punishment of reduction in rank which is contrary to the findings of the trial officer that “the offense is a serious one and more criminal than disciplinary in nature,” the Chairman added.
