Contempt: Court withholds ruling against Lagos CP

[Punch]

A Lagos High Court, Ikeja has withheld its ruling on a contempt suit instituted against the Commissioner of Police in the state, Umar Manko, and two others, accused of failing to produce two kidnap suspects in court.

Justice Yetunde Idowu's decision on Thursday followed the late filing of an application by the police seeking the court to allow them file their response to the substantive suit which  led to the contempt suit.

The court had on May 8, 2013, heard the applicants' argument in the contempt suit and subsequently adjourned for ruling.

The application dated June 4, 2013, was filed two days before the ruling was to be delivered.

Mr. Seliwei Baidi, counsel for the suspects, – Philip Tomi and Joel Wolomo – had urged the court to imprison Manko and the other defendants, while also expressing apprehension that his clients might have been "murdered" in police custody.

The police, represented by Mr. Friday Igbinosa on Thursday, confirmed Baidi's fear, declaring that the suspects died during investigation.

Igbinosa said the suspects confessed to the crime of kidnapping, and were shot by their gang members when policemen escorted them  to their hideout for further investigation.

The hideout is at Eleko Beach, Ibeju-Lekki of Lagos.

Igbinosa said, "The gang members on sighting us ambushed and immediately opened fire on us in a bid to rescue them from the custody of the police.

"They subsequently jumped into a waiting speed boat and escaped through waterways."

The suspects, Igbinosa added, were subsequently certified dead due to the wounds they "sustained from the bullets of their colleagues."

Manko and his two subordinates, who were joined as defendants, in the suit were not represented in court until Thursday.

The two others contemnors are Supol Terry (Officer in Charge, Anti-Robbery Squad Ikeja) and the Investigating Police Officer, Sgt. Akinmuyisitan Eric (aka Osa).

Tomi and Wolomo were said to have been arrested on September 13, 2012  at Sinaj Suite Ltd in Akodo, Lekki, Lagos for allegedly kidnapping 46-year-old Alhaji Alaka Abayomi.

The family members of the suspects had instituted a suit seeking the court to order the police to release the suspects.

The court adjourned till July 3 for further hearing.



The Punch