Mechanic shot by SARSmen, wants N200m

Adebanjo

The 30-year-old mechanic, Oladele Adebanjo, who was allegedly tortured and shot in the leg by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Lagos State Police Command, has sued the police for N200m damages.

PUNCH Metro had reported on November 14, 2012, that Adebanjo was shot while in detention by SARS policemen over allegations that he stole a commercial bus.

Adebanjo had acquired a Mazda bus model E2000 on a hire purchase agreement of N1.8m from Olatunji Adeyemi in August 2011. The bus was, however, stolen before the full payment could be made.

Adeyemi, who was irked by the development, reported the incident at the Oworo Police Division before the matter was transferred to SARS where Adebanjo was allegedly tortured and shot with a pistol in the leg by Taofeek Olokode, the head of the SARS team handling the matter.

In a suit with number ID/943/12 filed before Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile, of an Ikeja High Court,  Adebanjo joined the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Muhammed Abubakar, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar Manko, Olokode (the Investigating Police Officer) and Adeyemi in the suit.

The application filed by  Adebanjo’s  lawyer, Gerald Abonyi stated, “We seek a declaration that his arrest and incarceration by the 1st to 3rd respondents( IG, Lagos CP and Olokode respectively) at the prompting and instigation of the 4th respondent, Adeyemi, amounts to a gross breach of the applicant’s fundamental human rights and the Africa Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

“We seek relief in the sum of N200m against all the respondents jointly and severally for the gross violation of Adebanjo’s fundamental human rights.”