Benin city – A coroner court sitting in Benin city, has found police culpable in the killing and interment of one Mr. Samuel Imaikop, 42, and four others at Uteh Community in Ikpoba Okha local government area of Edo state, which took place on the 24th November, 2013.
Delivering judgment in the suit NO: MORi/1/03/2013, on Friday 26th January 2018, the presiding Judge, Justice F. E. N Igbinosa, expressed satisfaction with the evidence, records as well as exhibits tendered before the court by the petitioner.
Citing Section 6, 10, and 32(1), of the laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria 1976 as applicable in Edo state, Justice Igbinosa said, “there was no evidence before the court to show that the agents of the respondent(police) took permission before doing what they did”.
The coroner declared that the internment of the five persons without the orders of the court is unlawful, illegal, contravened laid down procedures, and an abuse of office.
Igbinosa averred that , the court was concern about whether there was extra judicial killings by the police, whether those killed were armed robbers or not, and whether as armed robbers or not, do those killed be buried without the orders of the coroner court.
The Judge however submitted that the court lacks jurisdiction to entertain if the deceased were armed robbers or not.
He noted, the police never appeared in court despite receiving Hearing Notice on the case and that their withdrawal from the case was an admission to the killing and unlawful burial of the five bodies without recourse to enabling laws.
The coroner ordered that the commercial bus with registration number GB 31 XA and other exhibits belonging to the deceased be removed from the police custody and deposited at the court premises.
Reacting, counsel to the petitioners , Barr. Benjamin Iluobe described the judgment as “excellent”, maintaining that the court has confirmed that those killed by the police were not armed robbers, but were victims of extra judicial killings.
According to the Human Rights lawyer, “We wanted to prove to the people that the police were really doing extra judicial killings at that time in Edo state and that the commissioner of police has a killer squad, we have been able to prove that by the judgment of the court.
“We are moving to the next stage now, to challenge the state government, the federal government, the police authority and we are going to be demanding compensation for the families of the deceased”.
It would be recalled that in 2013 some police men attached to Edo state police command, killed five persons at Uteh, whom they claimed were armed robbers.
