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Cop’s death: Lawyer demands release of SSS operatives

An Osogbo-based legal practitioner, Mr Abdulfatai Abdulsalam, has demanded the release of three operatives of the State Security Services working in the state, following recommendations of a coroner inquest which probed the death of a policeman, Rauf Fawale.

Abdulsalam in a petition to the National Human Right Commission, copies of which he sent to Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, State Commissioner of Police and the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone XI headquarters, Osogbo, obtained by our correspondent in Osogbo on Sunday, said the coroner that probed the circumstances surrounding Fawale’s death suspected the three SSS operatives of involving in the attack on the policeman.

He recalled that on March 7, 2022 the immediate past Governor of Osun State, Isiaka Oyetola, made an order of coroner inquest to unearth the cause of the death of Fawale which occurred on January 23, 2021.

He further said between March 23 and October 24, 2022, the coroner, Dr Olusegun Ayilara conducted sittings and recommended that there should be proper investigation of the events that resulted in Fawale’s death.

He also said the coroner in his recommendations, directed that the three SSS operatives involved should be released to the police for further investigation.

The lawyer however noted that since the coroner concluded his probe in October, 2022, the SSS has refused to comply with the order, and declined release of the operatives mentioned for further probe.

The petition, quoting the order of the coroner further read in parts, “that the Nigeria Police which is the primary investigating authority in crime shall reopen the case and invite all necessary parties for holistic investigation of the case.

“The Department of State Security shall release the trio to the police for proper investigation. The report of investigation of the police shall be submitted to the office of the learned DPP of Osun State for a decision to be made on whether to charge and/or who to charge to the appropriate court and in strict accordance with the provision of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, Osun State, 2018.”

It further read, “It is astonishing to note that, to this moment, the Department of State Service (DSS). Osun State Command has not complied with the above verdict of CORONER INQUEST by releasing the three officers involved to the police for proper investigation.

“We attach to this letter, the complete Judgement of the Coroner’s Court of Osun state delivered in October 2022 by Dr Olusegun A Ayilara, Chief Magistrate Gd I (Corona) and consider this letter as a legal service of the judgement of the Director of Security Service.

“It is on this note we demand for the Department of State Security of Service (DSS) to release the officers involved to the police for proper investigation as recommended in the verdict of the CORONA INQUEST. This request (at the moment ) deserve urgent positive reaction because the verdict of CORONA was delivered since October 2022.”

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