#EndSARS probe panel summons Abba Kyari’s lawyer

From Godwin Tsa, Abuja

The lawyer representing the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Abba Kyari, has been summoned by the Independent Investigation Panel on Human Rights Violations by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) over multiple petitions against his clients.

The panel, headed by a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Suleiman Haruna, directed Abdullahi Haruna, SAN, to appear before it on April 20.

This was contained in a statement made available to reporters through the Deputy Director, Public Affairs, at the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Mrs Fatimah Mohammed.

The statement revealed that some of the petitions hanging against DCP Kyari and the Inspector General of Police were centrally on alleged unlawful arrest/detention, torture, as well as cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of suspects.

In a separate petition, family members of alleged victims of Kyari-led police team had, on March 3, filed a petition before the panel, wherein, they prayed it to compel the police to release three detainees — Yakubu Danjuma, Ibrahim Daniel and Choji Dung — who they said were arrested between December 13 and 17, 2019, and detained.

The petitioners, including Ismail Marungo and Blessing Choji, alleged that police declined to free the three detainees, despite a court order that directed their immediate release on bail or trial.

Initial order the panel made for the said detained victims to be produced before it on March 11, was spurned by police.

The petition has been adjourned till April 20 for cross-examination of the witnesses and continuation of hearing.

Similarly, the panel, admitted the case file of alleged unlawful detention, death in police custody and extortion in evidence and marked it as an exhibit.

Kyari, who hitherto headed the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), is currently remanded at the Nigeria Correctional Center Kuje, following his alleged involvement in drug trafficking.

Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Dr Garba Tetengi, who stood in for chairman of the panel, Justice Galadima, noted that Kyari’s lawyer had in a letter to the panel, stated that he was briefed by his client to take over all the petitions pending against him.

He further recalled that one week was earlier given to Kyari’s lawyer to appear for his client to enable the panel to find out the truth in several petitions where his name was mentioned as a Respondent.

In a related development, police lawyer, Mr James Idachaba, has withdrawn his legal services for Kyari.

Idachaba informed the panel that his team would no longer represent Kyari.

“The police legal team will henceforth be appearing for the IGP only in respect of this matter,” Idachaba added.

The panel had earlier ordered police to produce the said case file containing their records of investigation of Samuel Adagbor (deceased) for alleged criminal conspiracy and human trafficking.

Inspector Sunday Sylvester had, on March 29, testified before the panel that the victim, while he was alive, reportedly dealt on human body parts which led to his arrest, detention and investigation.

However, counsel to the petitioner, Gabriel Egbule, insisted that the deceased was a mortician and not a human parts dealer as alleged by police witnesses.

The panel directed both sides to, within 24 hours, file and exchange their final written addresses, even as it adjourned the matter for report.

The post #EndSARS probe panel summons Abba Kyari’s lawyer appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.