AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
THE Ebonyi State Judicial Panel of Inquiry, saddled with the responsibility of investigating cases of police brutality in the state, has accepted 26 cases so far.
Speaking during an interview, the state Ombudsman, Emmanuel Obasi, disclosed that the panel actually got 39 cases but disqualified 13 because of the inability of the petitioners to meet necessary requirements.
Obasi pledged commitment of the panel to delivering well investigated reports without fear or favour.
He applauded the police for engaging the services of a private legal practitioner to represent them, which according to him, had hastened the activities of the panel hitherto delayed by the absence of police representatives.
He said, “Activities of the panel have being going on fine. The sitting has turned to a daily affair because the cases increase on a daily basis. Part of the delays we had so far was the inability of the police to send representatives. When they are called up and police is not there, bearing in mind that they are the major defendants in almost all the cases, the case cannot go on.
“Police absence is not targeted at delaying justice rather it is a matter of personnel insufficiency on their part. Police are also involved in many other activities. This panel is one of them. And then just yesterday, the Police hired the services of a private lawyer to assist them in representations.”
-ThePoint
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