THE Anambra State Judicial Panel of Inquiry has issued a summons on an alleged killer cop with the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), James Nwafor, and two others to answer questions bordering on police brutality and illegal killing.
The panel issued the order on Thursday during the resumed hearing of cases of police brutality in Anambra state.
According to the panel, DSP Abbatunume Joe and Hyianceth Nwankwo are also summoned to respond to allegations levied against them by petitioners.
The order of the Judicial Panel Inquiry followed an application by Abdul Mahmud, counsel to Iloanya, Adimachukwu, Onyemelue, and Akabike families who are petitioners in the state.
Veronica Umeh, Chairman of the Anambra judicial panel and a retired judge of the State High Court said the summoned persons are to appear before it on 8th December 2020 to answer allegations against them.
The ICIR had reported that Willie Obiano, the incumbent governor of the state had sacked Nwafor as his Special Assistant on Security Affairs following allegations by residents that he supervised and orchestrated the killing of innocent civilians while he was the OC SARS unit in the state.
A victim of police brutality had told the panel that in 2014, the SARS unit headed by Nwafor collected N400,000 from him to feed his son who they had already killed in their custody.
Meanwhile, the Kastina state judicial panel has disclosed that it has received more than 30 petitions from victims of police brutality in the state.
Justice Abdullahi Bawale of the Katsina State High Court who is also the panel Chairman said this during the inaugural sitting of the panel on Thursday.
Bawale assured petitioners and accused that the panel will ensure justice and fairness to all parties in every case.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via [email protected], on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94