#EndSARS: Osun judicial panel gives update on petitions

The Osun Judicial Panel of Inquiry on police brutality, human rights violations and related offences has given an update concerning the 23 cases before it.

The chairman of the panel, Akin Oladimeji, a retired judge, told journalists in Osogbo on Friday that while some of the cases have been concluded, others are still being investigated.

Mr Oladimeji told journalists the panel is committed to ensuring fairness and equity in all the petitions brought before it.

Speaking on the cases, he said “we struck out 12 cases out of 23 cases that we have concluded and three cases had reached the final address stage, while eight cases are pending for hearing and further hearing”.

Asked why the panel has not awarded compensation to any petitioner, he said, “it is conventional to complete all the cases before awarding compensations”.

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Meanwhile, a petitioner, Adegoke Raheem, withdrew his petition before the panel, saying he wants to settle the matter out of court.

Mr Raheem has earlier claimed that he was beaten up by Dayo Ezekiel, a police superintendent. He said the officer punched him “for no reason” on October 2, 2020 while exiting a motor-park around Oke-Baale, Osogbo.

But on Friday, his counsel, Michael Akinwande, said his client “had settled the matter amicably following an agreement by the officer to formally apologise to him”.