BY 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.”
Obasi added, “The Governor had said he believes in this panel, the integrity of the people in it, headed by the former Chief Judge of the state, Justice Alloy Nwankwo, retd, that all of us working together will come up with something satisfactory.
“As at yesterday, we had almost 39 cases but we accepted only 26. You know it is not every case that meets the demands of our requirements. For instance, if you submit a case without sworn affidavits, we will not include it as a case that has been received by the panel.
“We still expect you to go and do the necessary things. So those ones that have complied with all the requirements as at yesterday were 26.”
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Bar Association, Abakaliki branch, has volunteered to offer pro bono (free legal)services to all indigent petitioners before the judicial panel.
The Chairman, Abakaliki branch of NBA, Ogbonnaya Okorie, explained that the offer of free legal services was one of the ways the NBA nationwide was contributing its quota to national development.
