The Judicial Panel of Enquiry on police brutality in Edo State has authorised the arrest of a former Divisional Police Officer, CSP Carol Afegbai, for her alleged involvement in the murder of Ibrahim Momodu, a 500-level student of the University of Benin.
Momodu was killed in 2015, when retired Chief Superintendent of Police, Afegbai, was the DPO in charge of Ogida Police Division.
A member of the Panel, A.B. Thomas, said Afegbai should be arrested in connection with the killing of the slain undergraduate.
“If she was not summoned by the High Court or the Court of Appeal, it is because she was not a party; it was the state versus the man who pulled the trigger,” said Thomas.
“But, before us here, she has been mentioned, and if we end the case without summoning her, it will seem she is above the law.”
The chairman of the panel, Justice Ada Ehigiamusoe (retd), in her judgment, commanded the arrest of Afegbai.
Ehigiamusoe said, “The panel summoned the respondent to appear before this panel at today’s (Tuesday) proceedings, and it is on record that she has failed to do so.
“It is of the view of this panel that the respondent, having failed to appear before the panel, a warrant of arrest should be issued for her to appear before the panel.
“It is hereby ordered that a warrant of arrest be issued forthwith on the said respondent who is named Carol Afegbai, who shall appear before this panel following the order of this panel on December 9, 2020,” she said.
