A Lagos based legal practitioner, Odiana Eriata Esq. has appeared before the judicial panel set up by Delta State Government over past Police brutality in the State.
He want the panel to hold that the killing of Chief Ogbe Onokpite is unlawful and violation of his right to life.
Chief Onokpite was killed on November 26, 2011 at the Beeland Hotel, Orhuwhorun, Warri in Delta State.
Odiana Eriata is therefore urging the panel to recommend the arraignment and prosecution of ACP Abutu Yaro, (now CP), ASP Ibrahim Umara, CPL Kelechi Onyeka, CPL Ohanuku Michael, Bateran Akpojere and others who he said were indicted by the Nigeria Police Force investigation report for the extra-judicial murder of late Chief Ogbe Onokpite.
On the 8th day of December, 2020, Mr. Odiana Eriata of counsel to the Late Chief Ogbe Onokpite family tendered documents relating to the clinical investigation of the case of extra judicial killing of late Chief Ogbe Onokpite.
Some of the documents tendered are the police report indicting the police officers, the police legal department report, the DPP of Delta State report, letter from the Ministry of Justice, Delta State to the Inspector-General of Police requesting for the duplicate file to enable them prosecute the indicted officers.
He also tendered the photographs of the deceased in the mortuary and the pictures showing how his body was degraded at death by the police officers.
Mr. Odiana Eriata who was emotional in praying the panel to prevail on the commissioner of justice and the DPP Delta State to ensure the prosecution of the suspects and for compensation of late Chief Ogbe Onokpite family said him and his team have been fighting the course of seeking justice for the late Chief Ogbe Onokpite since 2011 when he was murdered.
The counsel also drew the attention of the panel to the fact that the police actually planted the two AK 47 rifles in the vehicle which they claimed was used by late Ogbe Onokpite to carry out gun running as revealed from the investigation report.
The police lawyer did not oppose the petition rather he stated that steps are being taken to arraign and prosecute the officers involved in the dastardly act by the police leadership.
Odiana Eriata closed his case by calling only one witness Mr. Ben Okpo Onokpite and the panel Chairman Honourable Justice Celestine Ogisi (Rtd) assured the parties that necessary recommendations would be made to the government and same would be communicated to the family and their lawyer.
According to him, the 8th of December is the Human Right Day and thus a message must be sent as a signal that Nigeria will not condone any abuse of citizens rights.
He said all cases or violations of human rights by state and non-state actors should be redressed and justice must be done to the victims of human rights as the only way to forestall future occurrences of such violations.
Odiana Eriata Esq. also believed that there are instances where police officers and other state actors are victims of extra judicial killings and that such development must be addressed by the government at any given opportunity.
He added as well that mob action and incessant killing of citizen’s by violent individual’s and cult groups amounts to extra judicial killings and all this phenomena must be curbed by the government.
