Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar Manko and two others may be asked to cool their heels off in prison for contempt of court over alleged failure to produce two suspected kidnappers before an Ikeja High Court.
Justice Yetunde Idowu of an Ikeja High Court will on June 6, 2013, determine whether or not to commit the CP to prison after failing “to produce two suspected kidnappers, Philip Tomi and Joel Wolomo or their bodies” before the court after a February 18, 2013 order, while ruling on an ex-parte motion filed on their behalf by their counsel, Chief Seliwei Willy Baidi.
Joined as co-defendants in the suit are the Officer-in charge of anti-robbery squad, Ikeja, Supol Terry and the Investigating Police Officer, Sergeant Eric.
The application filed pursuant to order IV Rule 1, 3 and 4 (a)(b) of the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009, was praying the court to compel the police to produce the suspect in court to settle the agitation on whether or not the suspects have been extra-judicially killed by the Police.
It was alleged that Tomi, Wolomo and others had kidnapped one Alhaji Alaka Abayomi, 46 years, in front of his office at Agbowa on August 24, 2012, following which they were arrested sometimes in September 2012 by the Police and detained at the state anti-robbery squad, Ikeja, but friends claim no one has heard from them since their arrest.
Lawyers of the suspects informed the court yesterday that none of the respondents had appeared in court, in spite of the fact that they were served with court processes.
“There is a case of willful disobedience of court order by the respondent and the reason is because the respondents have extra-judicially murdered the applicants,” the lawyer argued.
“We, therefore, urge your lordship to exercise your powers until they have purged themselves of the contempt. Let them come to court to tell us whether they are still alive or not.”
He urged the court to grant the prayers contained in their application, adding: “The police cannot claim to be above the law.”
