Police Arrest Brother In Lieu Of Suspect, Destroy Father’s Property In Rivers

The Chairman of Young Lawyers Eastern Bar Forum, Ogbom Goodluck, Esq., has condemned in the strongest terms, the unlawful, barbaric and wanton destruction the properties of some suspects’ parents by men of Nigerian Police, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. 

According to the information made available to TheNigerialawyer (TNL) through the Chairman of the YLF-EBF, Ogbom Goodluck, Mr and Mrs Grass Okannah are natives of Mgbuelia, Rundele in Emohua local govt area, Rivers State whose son (Uche Okannah) a suspect, was arrested last week. Mr and Mrs Agwo Igbani on the other hand who hail from Mgbuelia, Rundele in Emohua local govt area, Rivers State are parents whose son (Alex Igbani), was arrested on Sunday in lieu of his elder brother.

According to him, the parents of the suspects, woke up on Sunday morning, on the 19th of May, 2019, to see the men of Nigerian police force with one of the suspects Uche Okannah, the son of Mr. Grass Okannah. They thought that the policemen came to conduct further investigation and also to conduct search, but they were surprised when the team did the unthinkable by bringing out all their belongings such as their wears, wrappers, chairs, bicycles, sewing machines, motor byke, school uniforms and books etc., and set them all ablaze in front of their compounds.

As if that was not enough, they went further to destroy the building, windows, doors and protectors and everything inside the rooms.

According to information disclosed, Uche Okannah led the team to Mr Agwo Igbani’s compound to look for one of his sons, unfortunately, when they didn’t see the suspect, they arrested his younger brother in lieu of his brother. 

His father in his statement noted that Alex was preparing to sit for an examination today, being Monday, but has been dumped at Rumuji police divisional headquarters, Emohua local govt area, Rivers State, possibly to wait until his brother is arrested.

According to the suspects’ fathers, they built the houses that were destroyed and furnished before Uche Okannah was born — they have never benefited from any proceeds of crime or aided the suspect in any criminal act he is accused of.

Narrating further, they stated that they have never been invited for any offence, neither have they been questioned. They also added that they have never been linked to any offence committed by the suspect, stressing that, their only offence is that their children who are adults chose to live a life that both parents are vehemently against and condemned publicly.

According to Ogbom Goodluck, Esq., ”No law authorizes the police to arrest a brother for an offence committed or purportedly committed by his brother or destroy the parents’ houses for an offence committed by their children.” One wonders why the house (s) of Evans’ parents, (The Kidnapper) has not been razed down if that is the new method of combating crime.

“Criminal responsibility is personal and cannot be transferred.

“While I am aware of cases of vicarious liability in criminal law, the instant case is certainly not one. That is a most uncivilized conduct, and one that any person with a democratic mind should thoroughly detest and condemn.”

He further stated that the suspect’s father have done their bit by educating the suspect to a Bsc. level, which in their opinion, is what they owe him (Uche Okannah). 

“They are farmers, they do not benefit from any proceeds of crime and they have often time condemned in strongest term any acts of criminality. They have been rendered homeless with no means to go to their farm by the dastardly acts,” he added.

He passionately appeals to the IGP to thoroughly investigate these acts of the team which is way below the ethical standard of fighting crimes in any civilized nation. 

The IGP has always emphasized the maintenance of human rights in the fight against criminality and the need to fight crime within the ambit of the law. But unfortunately, some overzealous officers are bent on tarnishing the good image of the Nigerian Police force

It is so unfortunate and disheartening that the men of Nigeria force, Inspector General of Police Monitoring team, Port Harcourt, River State have chosen to take the laws into their hands by destroying personal belongings and properties of people they are supposed to protect, thereby, vesting themselves with the powers of the court by deciding how to punish a suspect without the proper trial in a competent court of law.