One Donatus Ofoegbu, a commercial driver has accused the police of abandoning him in the hospital after beating him up.
Donatus made this claim on Tuesday, 2nd February before a judicial panel sitting in Umuahia over the case between Donatus Ofoegbu, Commissioner of Police Abia State, and DSP Peter Yakwe.
According to Donatus, he was beaten up along Abayi road Aba by a police man who was in the midst of about 5 other policemen.
Donatus who was a driver with Chisco company was allegedly beaten up as he was coming back from lagos with his conductor.
He said the other policemen rushed him to Nadi Optical hospital Aba, when blood was gushing out from his eyes as a result of the beating.
Donatus said the police tarried for two days before visiting to provide the sum of N40,000 requested by the doctor attending to him. He said he was referred to the hospital’s headquarter at Enugu as the doctor said he needed an operation.
At this stage, he alleged that the police abandoned him as he footed all other medical bills.
He further stated that after his discharge , he went to make a report at the Osisioma police station, where his complaint was refused and he was asked to report to mopol 55 .
He said he refused going to the station because he was afraid as the policeman who beat him up was stationed there. He in turn petitioned the IG of Zone 9 .
However, the court was put into disagreement as the witness while tendering evidences through his counsel Michael Ohawuiro provided a photocopied document of a pro-forma issued to him by the police, stating that he had lost the original copy.
The respondent’s counsel Stanley Ofoegbu pleaded the court to do away with the document as it was not an original copy.
Responding, Michael pleaded the court to accept the document as it is relevant to the case. Stating that the panel does not strictly adhere to the rule of evidence.
The court through Justice SN Imoh ruled that the evidence should be returned to the witness to get an official document if he still wants the document to act as an exhibit as the court wouldn’t want to wave the exhibit.
During cross examination, the respondent’s counsel claimed the Commandant of mopol 55 was not aware of the petition against his men.
The witness, refuted that ,stating that the Commandant was fully aware, adding that he brought some of his men to the witnesse’s house and to the house of his traditional ruler to seek for peace.
Stanley further stated that the police told the witness that the investigation was inconclusive because he stayed o long time without returning a medical report to the police.
Donatus said he is no longer working with Chisco company as his eyes were affected by police beating and pleaded a compensation of N50M.
The court adjourned the case till February 9, 2021 for further hearing.
