Police Defy Court, Abduct Suspect during Proceedings

An Osun based Legal Practitioner, Barrister Rasheed Kolawole   has raised alarm over the safety of his client Adegoke Osunbuyi currently held in the custody of Area M, Police Command Idimu, Lagos after he was allegedly abducted at the premises of Osun State High Court, Ilesa on Wednesday during proceedings to hear the suit on the enforcement of his fundamental human right.

The police against a subsisting order of the state high court restraining them from arresting Osunbuyi lay siege on Ilesa high court premises and whisked him away when he moved out of the court room to answer the call of nature while the Judge was already seated to hear his case.

According to a court order obtained by our correspondent, Ilesa high court division presided over by Justice Lateef Adegoke had on January 25^, 2017 granted a motion ex-parte restraining one Chief Segun Omoyelu, Mr Austin Achika, Police Area Commander, Area M, Commissioner of Police Lagos State, and The Inspector General of police from harassing or detaining, Osunbuyi and Busuyi Fanibi

Addressing journalists in Ilesa over the matter, Kolawole expressed concern over what he described as “flagrant disobedience to the court order and open disdain to the authority of the court” saying the police conduct was an open invitation to anarchy.

He said the police in two consecutive times have invaded the residence of the two claimants, humiliated, extorted, and publicly embarrassed them over civil matter in contempt of the court and called on the Inspector General of Police to urgently intervene to protect sanctity of the judiciary and the rule of law.

Kolawole explained that in early January, Osunbuyi and Fanibi were held by the Area M, police command on the allegation of collecting money under false pretense from Omoyelu to procure a Highlander Jeep to the tune of N2.2 million which has already deposited for in Cotonu, Republic of Benin.

He said “Upon the recipient of the N2.2 Million, Omoyelu was briefed that as result of the devaluation of the Nigeria currency, the amount could not procured the said vehicle, he instructed Osunbuyi to deposit the available money with the commitment to balance the additional cost incurred, the vehicle as today is still in Cotonu and instead of redeeming his pledge he has been harassing Osunbuyi with police from Area M command”.

“My two clients were severally arrested in January by the police in Ilesa Area Command and Area M command, Lagos, without charging them to court, Omoyelu has been using his influence in the police to exploit and harassed my clients over a civil contractual agreement that was floated by Omoyelu himself.

“The police impunity compelled us to approach Ilesa high court for the enforcement of my clients fundamental human right in which we secured an experte injunction against arrest and detention.” Taiwo said.

He also alleged that in February 5, the police from Area M almost beat him up when police invaded the hotel of the one of his client, Fanibi, when he approached them to remind them of a subsisting court order that has been served to the appropriate police authorities in Lagos and Osun.

“I was almost beaten up, they even described the court order as useless order that would not be obeyed, and they ransacked the hotel and drained all the drinks in the freezer of my client”

The court has however adjourned the matter till March 21^st 2017 for the hearing of the substantive matter.