An Osun based Legal Practitioner, Barrister Rasheed Kolawole has raised the alarm over the safety of his client, Adegoke Osunbuyi who is currently being held by the Area M, Police Command Idimu, Lagos after he was allegedly abducted at the premises of Osun State High Court, Ilesa on Wednesday during proceedings to hear the suit on the enforcement of his fundamental human right.
Kolawole, while addressing journalists on Friday disclosed that policemen from Lagos, defied a subsisting order of the state High Court, restraining them from arresting Osunbuyi, and laid siege on Ilesa High Court premises, and eventually whisked the suspect away when he moved out of the courtroom to answer the call of nature while the Judge was already seated to hear his case.
Meanwhile, a court order obtained by DAILY POST, indicated that an Ilesa high court division, presided over by Justice Lateef Adegoke had on January 25, 2017 granted a motion ex-parte restraining one Chief Segun Omoyelu, Mr Austin Achika, Police Area Commander, Area M, Commissioner of Police Lagos State, and the Inspector General of police from harassing or detaining Osunbuyi and Busuyi Fanibi
Kolawole expressed concern over what he described as “flagrant disobedience to the court and open disdain to the authority of the court” saying the police conduct was an open invitation to anarchy.
He said the police had consecutively invaded the residence of the two claimants, humiliated, extorted, and publicly embarrassed them over civil matter in contempt of the court and called on the Inspector General of Police to urgently intervene to protect sanctity of the judiciary and the rule of law.
He explained that in early January, Osunbuyi and Fanibi were held by the Area M, police command on the allegation of collecting money under false pretense from Omoyelu to procure a Highlander Jeep to the tune of N2.2 million which had been deposited for in Cotonu, Republic of Benin.
He said, “ Upon the recipient of the N2.2 Million, Omoyelu was briefed that as result of the devaluation of the Nigeria currency, the amount could not procure the said vehicle. He instructed Osunbuyi to deposit the available money with the commitment to balance the additional cost incurred, the vehicle as at today is still in Cotonu and instead of redeeming his pledge, he has been harassing Osunbuyi with police from Area M command.”
“My two clients were severally arrested in January by the police in Ilesa Area Command and Area M command, Lagos, without charging them to court, Omoyelu has been using his influence in the police to exploit and harassed my clients over a civil contractual agreement that was floated by Omoyelu himself.
“The police impunity compelled us to approach Ilesa high court for the enforcement of my clients fundamental human right in which we secured an experte injunction against arrest and detention,” Taiwo said.
He also alleged that in February 5, the police from Area M almost beat him up when police invaded the hotel of one of his clients, Fanibi, when he approached them to remind them of a subsisting court order that has been served to the appropriate police authorities in Lagos and Osun.
“I was almost beaten up, they even described the court order as useless order that would not be obeyed, they ransacked the hotel and drained all the drinks in the freezer of my client.”
The court has, however, adjourned the matter till March 21st 2017 for the hearing of the substantive matter.
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