As Osun Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality, Human Rights Violations and Related Extra Judicial Killings on Thursday continued its sitting, a counsel to the petitioner, Barrister Muyideen Abiodun Adeoye has called for the amendment of Section 84 of Sherrif and Civil Process Act.
Barrister Adeoye said the amendment of the Section would strengthen justice administration, the quest to ensure and enhance acceleration of justice dispensation and as well strengthen the execution of justice in cases involving police brutality.
The legal practitioner attributed the delay in the implementation of some of the court judgments against police brutality to palpable grey areas in the Section of the law.
Addressing journalists after the proceeding, Barrister Adeoye who led a petitioner in evidence on police brutality, described Section 84 as a cog in the wheel of progress of justice dispensation in the country, particularly in criminal matters against the police.
He expressed displeasure at the way and manner most of the judgements against the police were not adequately executed, attributing the menace to the impediment of the Section.
He said the amendment of the Section would help to mandate the police to execute with immediate effect any judgement against it without a recourse to either the Attorney General of the Federation or Attorney General of the State.
According to him, the amendment of the Section will equally remove any form of impediment hindering the execution of Court Verdicts against the police, thus helping the victims of police brutality to get justice
“This Section has turned to something else. It has turned to a monster, because when you do things without consequences, you can continue to do it. When the police victimise the citizens and they know that there is no consequence for their actions, then they will continue to do it.
“So, this section doesn’t allow the victims of police brutality to get adequate compensations after justice is being done against the police because when a victim brings an action against the police, and he or she gets judgement, it becomes practically impossible to execute the judgement because of the said Section of the law.
“As it is, the said Section of the law requires that you get consent and approval of the Attorney General of the Federation or Attorney General of the State.
“So, when an action is taken against the police and justice is delivered and executed, then, it will serve as a lesson to the police and as a deterrent to the Force’s erring officers and men, thereby, compelling them to sit tight.
“Therefore, amendment of this Section will put a serious end to police brutality because once the police know that any misbehaviour will attract stiffer penalty, then, the palpable excesses on the part of the police would be drastically reduced,” he added.
