The five branches of the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, in Imo state, on Tuesday called on the Inspector General of Police, IGP, to suspend the Police Area Commander, Owerri municipality, in Imo State, ACP David Ogenyi, over alleged involvement in the torture, humiliation and illegal detention of NBA, member Chigozie Chinaka, Esq.
They made this call in a statement to newsmen in Owerri, while responding to the defence of the Police Command on the alleged torture of their colleague.
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The branches of NBA, led by the Chairman Owerri branch, Ugochukwu Alinnor, ESQ, alongside that of the branches of Okigwe, Orlu, Mbaise and Mbano/Etiti branches.
According to them, “We make bold to state that the Bar have conducted a preliminary investigation over the grave allegations leveled against ACP David Ogenyi and the concerned officers under his command and control, and the preliminary investigation revealed that ACP David Ogenyi and the concerned officers have a case to answer.
“The said preliminary investigation further reveals that ACP David Ogenyi has been in the habit of abuse of his office and powers. He insults and molests lawyers that visit Area Command, Owerri Municipality, either for their personal matters or on behalf of their clients.
“The members of the Bar are embittered by this level of inhuman treatment and condemns in the strongest terms, the actions of ACP David Ogenyi in this regard and by extension the brutality of the police against lawyers who go about their lawful and professional duties on daily basis. The police has a binding duty and a constitutional one to protect the lives and properties of citizens rather than treat them with disdain. The actions meted out on our colleague by ACP David Ogenyi and his cohorts are unbelievably dehumanizing and ought to be questioned by the top hierarchy of the police and the government.
“We therefore call on the Inspector General of Police to kindly prevail in the SOS complaint and accordingly:
“Direct the immediately suspend ACP David Ogenyi and the concerned officers, to guarantee a thorough and unbiased investigation of the grave allegations leveled against him and other officers within the command, as his presence in office at the Police Area Command, Owerri will surely jeopardize the investigation in this matter; or
In the alternative: “The immediate transfer of ACP David Ogenyi and the concerned officers from Imo State Police to any other State Police Command forthwith, pending a holistic investigation of this matter, and
To constitute a five-man committee with the Hon. Attorney-General of Imo State as the Chairman with two (2) senior police officers and two senior members of NBA Owerri Branch to conduct a discreet investigation into the remote cause of the incident. We say no to any form of police brutality, torture and impediment of lawyers from the discharge of their professional duties.
“Finally, we urge the heads of security agencies in the State to admonish their officers to always work harmoniously with lawyers in the administration of criminal justice system, to report any lawyer who becomes unruly while performing his professional duties to Nigerian Bar Association for disciplinary actions,” they said.
