Why we came to Panel – Family of boy chased to death

Osun Judicial Panel of Inquiry: Petitioners, counsel laud panel’s high sense of commitment to fair hearing, justice as 10 cases heard at weekend

As the Osun Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality, Human Rights Violations and Related Extra Judicial Killings continued its proceedings, the petitioners and their counsel at the weekend lauded the panel for upholding the constitutional and judicial tenets of setting up the panel.

Similarly, the parents of the boy chased to death in September by a combined team of Security operatives have finally approached the Panel to seek redress.

The panel, which had resumed sitting on Friday and sat on Saturday, was also applauded for continually allowing the parties involved to take sufficient time to present and defend cases before it, as part of efforts to ensure fair hearing and justice.

In all, 10 cases were heard by the Panel at the weekend.

At the Saturday’s sitting, some of the petitioners and their lawyers who spoke to journalists after the hearings of their cases, said the panel had demonstrated the required capacity to dispense justice without fear or favour.

The concerned parties said they were convinced that the panel would dispense justice.

Barristers Imomoh Emmanuel, Kanmi Ajibola and Tadese Alagbe applauded the virtues exhibited by the members of the panel since the beginning of the proceedings, saying “we are satisfied by the steps taken to restore hope to the hopeless and ensure justice for all”.

The trio who described the panel as a bunch of people with impeccable character, expressed satisfaction with the way and manner their petitions were heard.

According to Barrister Imomoh Emmanuel, members of the panel were very composed, and from their comments, one can see that they are ready for justice, and that justice is their main goal.

Also, Barrister Alagbe said: “I have seen in this panel the commitment to restoring hope to those whose hopes had been lost. I am highly confident that they will dispense justice with the way they are going about the proceedings.

“I have seen people of integrity and impeccable character as members of the panel, and with this, justice is guaranteed.

“So far, I am satisfied with the proceedings because I have seen that all they are doing is to go to justice, and no matter what their final recommendation and judgement are, we are very ready to abide by it”.

In the same vein, the petitioners, Mr. Kehinde Ajibola and Mrs  Titilayo Ajibola who petitioned the police for masterminding the death of their son on 15th day of September 2020, in Osogbo, expressed satisfaction at the way and manner the case was handled by the panel.

The couple had approached the panel to seek justice on the death of their son, Master Idris Ajibola, who lost his life to a fatal motor accident when he and his friends who were occupants of the car were allegedly chased by the officers and men of Joint Task Force (JTF) comprising the police and other security agents.

Another petitioner, Alhaji Dele Nafiu said he was convinced and impressed by the high level of accountability, fairness and transparency being displayed by members of the panel, which he said, was a signal to the fact that justice would be done in all matters.

“I didn’t want to come before. But when I heard of the way and manner at which the petitions before the panel were being treated, I was convinced to come and so far so good, the story has been very amazing.

“I am confident that justice will be done not only in my case but in others because I have seen in the panel the quest to do  justice to all,” he said.

Chief Adewale Atanda Adisa, another petitioner, said the panel had restored his hope with the way and manner his case has been handled since the commencement of the hearing.

The 10 cases heard by the panel are: OS/JPIPB/11/2020 filed by Mr. Kehinde Ajibola versus Osun State Commissioner of Police; OS/JPIPB/12/2020 filed by Alhaji Dele Nafiu versus Osun State Commissioner of Police; OS/JPIPB/24/2020 filed by Mr. Ijaye Ishola versus Osun State Commissioner of Police; OS/JPIPB/25/2020 filed by Chief Adewale Atanda Adisa versus Osun State Commissioner of Police; and OS/ JPIPB/26/2020 filed by Chief Jelili Adegoke Raheem versus Osun State Commissioner of Police.

Others are: OS/JPIPB/008/2020 Adegboyega Agbaje & IOR versus Osun State Commissioner of Police; OS/JPIPB/003/2020 Oluyide Joseph Adekola versus Osun State Commissioner of Police; OS/JPIPB/004/2020 Azeez Oderinde versus Osun State Commissioner of Police; OS/JPIPB/22/2020 Wasiu Jimoh versus Osun State Commissioner of Police; and OS/JPIPB/23/2020 Taiwo Segun & IOR versus Osun State Commissioner of Police.