A police officer, Dada Ogunsanya has been accused of inhumanly treating a couple Ejeh and Grace Smith.
Punch gathered that the couple were on their way back home when Ogunsanya together with six other officers stopped the taxi they boarded around Lekki Roundabout, asking the driver, Ndubuisi Iheaka to open his boot for routine check.
All seemed to be going well until he asked the couple to alight from the cab after they told him to stop flashing his torch on them as the inner light of the vehicle was already on. This led to a heated argument after which Ogunsanya allegedly hit Ejeh in the eye with the butt of his rifle and punched Grace in the face.
Reports say he also stepped on Grace’s stomach and dragged her on the floor until a passer-by intervened, insisting that their boss be called to the scene.
The Ikoyi Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Mrs. Haruna was called to the scene and was said to have supported the officers, giving Grace’s phone to an inspector to delete all recordings she had made of the incident, saying she could have ordered for the arrest of the duo had it not been for the injuries they had sustained in the ordeal.
The couple were later treated at Falomo Police Hospital and foot their hospital bills.
Reacting to the incident, human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) said the development was unfortunate, adding that his chamber is ready to take up the case for the family, free of charge.
He said: “It is the height of infringement on their fundamental human rights to dignity. The policeman involved has to be shamed and prosecuted because he exposed them to mental, psychological and physical torture. The policeman certainly does not deserve to be in uniform.
“The DPO’s action subjected them to further torture. She has no power under the law to collect the phone and remove any information therein. Her case is worse than even the policeman she was trying to shield. She is paid to superintend the policemen under her. For colluding with the police officer, she also deserved the full weight of the law on her.”
On his part, a popular constitutional lawyer Prof. Itse Sagay said the police was “an out-of-control animal, a brute and a killer.”
He added that: “The couple should sue the police for the enforcement of their fundamental rights. They will recover very high damages for the injury they suffered and an apology from the Inspector General of Police. The police officer is a danger to the public and should not be in the police force.”
