By VICTOR SOROKWU, Asaba

A housewife, Mrs Rose Okoro, has petitioned the Attorney General of the Federation, (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN) and the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, over the “unlawful detention” of her husband, Mr Sunday Okoro, for a year now.

According to Mrs Okoro, her 14-year-old son was also arrested and handcuffed along with the father and were both paraded like common criminals by ACP Abba Kyari and his IRT team from Abuja, over an allegation of threat to life in Sapele, Sapele Local government Area of Delta State.

However, her son, who was in detention for over three weeks was released, but her husband was refused bail on several attempts by his lawyer.

Mr Okoro was arrested following a complaint by one Mr Sunny Nwankego at Sapele, in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State on September 9, 2020, on allegation of threat to life.

Mrs Okoro said their lawyer had made several attempts and her husband on three occasions was granted bail but was allegedly frustrated by his prosecutor on alleged instructions of the team leader, Abba Kyari.

The petition read in part: “On Wednesday, Sept. 9th, 2020, at about 6:30 am, my husband, Sunday Okoro, was unlawfully arrested in our home with our 14 years old son, our gateman, the DJ working in our hotel, my husband sister’s son, Precious and his cousin by some men on mufti who ransacked our private home and hotel without finding any incriminating thing.

“They were all taken to Benin and when l inquired, l was told the police team was not from Benin but led by Abba Kyari before they were transferred to Abuja.

“They were denied bail for 2 weeks until we had a human rights activist, who came to our rescue but before then the complainant, Sunny Nwakaego, who is not a policeman, that was dragging my husband to a school in Benin in the company of the police team for torture every morning.

“The lawyer was able to secure the release of our son and the gateman, but the DJ was not allowed to go until we paid the sum of 600,000 naira, while my husband was still held, maltreated and kept in an abattoir from Sept. 9th to Oct. 27th, 2020 before taken to Area Court in Mpape that has no jurisdiction to entertain an alleged case of threat to life.

“The area court in Mpape declined jurisdiction and my husband was remanded in Suleja Correctional Centre with no concrete evidence of the offence till May 19, 2021, when he was arraigned for a case of threat to life and act of terrorism at the Federal High Court Abuja.

“The judge granted him bail on health grounds over the unlawful torture he went through in the hands of the police for urgent medical attention before he goes blind but was refused bail before the complainant filed another fresh charge in another Federal High Court for threat to life and act of terrorism again.

“The complainant and DSP Fasasi Abiodun asked the IRT prosecutor to file a murder charge against my husband, but the prosecutor refused.

“Upon his refusal, DSP Abiodun and Abba Kyari took another prosecutor at the FCT who agreed and accused my husband of illegal possession of arms, robbery, a threat to life, act of terrorism but still without evidence.

“Luckily, bail was granted again but DSP Abiodun who led the team of policemen intercepted the prison vehicle at the court gate and hijacked my husband to an unknown destination.

“Meanwhile the FCT prosecutor has filed another case of murder again in another court and the hearing was for July 21, 2021 (Salah day), but the same DSP Abiodun and the FCT prosecutor took my husband to Mpepe prison Nasarawa. After keeping him for days, brought him to a magistrate court on same issue that is before Federal High Court.

“We believe they have been paid heavily to monitor and rearrest him as soon as he is bailed, hence we are seeking all-around justice for my husband, Mr Sunday Okoro, as this is totally unlawful and all those involved should face the wrath of the law.” (Daily Trust)

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