The Nigerian Police says allegation of N3 million naira bribe to bail Edward Dumisara who later died after his arrest and detention by the Police was fabricated to tarnish the image of some officers of the Force.
It would be recalled that a brother of a deceased, Confidence Leera stated in his affidavit before the Independent Investigative Panel set up by the National Human Rights Commission in Nigeria, to investigate alleged human rights violation by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, of the Nigerian Police that some Officers of the Unit, including DSP Essien Edet and ASP David Ahmed Agbo connived to demand N3 million bail money from him before they could release his brother while he was still alive in the Police custody in Rivers state.
According to the second respondent in the case, Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP, Essien Edet he has filed a counter affidavit to challenge the position of the complainant, Confidence Leera on the 8th of January 2021 which he said was also served on all the parties in the case.
DSP Edet who is a member of the legal team of the Nigerian Police while cross examining the complainant, averred that the complainant has never met him and therefore did not negotiate to be paid the sum of Three Million Naira to facilitate the release of Dumisara (Leera’s brother) while he was still in Police custody.
He therefore told the panel that the complainant is not a witness of truth insisting that all his claims concerning the three million Naira bribe should be discountenanced as falsehood.
Similarly, Counsel to the first and third respondents, Gabriel Urom Okata while cross examining the Leera noted that the statements and depositions of the complainants were entirely based on hearsay evidence and therefore cannot be taken seriously since he never witnessed the arrest of his brother by the Police.
He also told the Panel that Mr. Leera has no evidence to show that Rivers state declared Amnesty Programme in July and October 2019, even as the complainant showed a picture that captured some members of the Amnesty Committee in the state.
Counsel to the 1st and 3rd respondents said that the complainant only sent the sums of N5,000 and N20,000 at different occasions to the 3rd respondent, ASP David Ahmed Agbo when his brother has already been released from the custody of the Police.
Besides, Okata emphasised that the claim made by the complainant to the effect that ASP Agbo withdrew monies on different occasions with his late brother’s master card cannot be substantiated.
Earlier, Mr Confidence Leera in his statement alleged that ASP David Ahmed Agbo and some other officers of the Police withdrew his brother’s money on several occasions using his Master card seized when they arrested him.
It will be recalled that ASP David Ahmed Agbo told the Panel that Edward Dumisara whose brother, Confidence Leera, claimed was being held in police custody since November 1, 2019, is dead.
He added that his body was deposited at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital mortuary in Rivers state southern Nigeria.
The case was adjourned to March 2 2021 for the respondents to open their defense.
Ime N
