A 30-year-old man, Mr Ayotomiwa Elegbeleye, yesterday, told the Ekiti State Judicial Panel of Inquiry into allegations of police brutality how he was repeatedly tortured by SARs after being arrested from his house in Ikere-Ekiti on January 7, 2020.
Speaking before the Ekiti state Judicial Panel of Inquiry into allegations of police brutality, yesterday, 30-year-old man, Mr Ayotomiwa Elegbeleye, narrated how he was arrested by eight SARS operatives in his house in Ikere-Ekiti on January 7, 2020, at about 11:55 pm and taken to their custody where he was repeatedly tortured.
Elegbeleye said he was hanged with a rod in the custody while the officers tortured him with pressing iron for twenty-three days over his failure to offer N500,000 requested for him to be released.
During the sitting, the complainant, who was brought from the Correctional Center to the panel, showed members of the panel the bodily injuries he sustained from the hot pressing iron when he was in their custody.
He said, “ I was arrested by the SARS operatives around 11:55 pm at my house in Ikere-Ekiti without them telling me the crime I committed. That night, I was taken to their office they beat and tortured me with pressing iron that I should confess being an armed robber.
I was hanged up with a rod. I gasp for breath begging them to release me but they said I will only be released with payment of N500,000.
“ After 23days in their custody and with serious bodily injuries, they took me to the police hospital in Oke-Isa when they felt I might die due to my worsening health condition.”
Elegbeleye, who maintained that he was never involved in any criminal activity, pleaded with the panel to investigate his case with a bid of releasing him from the prison.
“ I come to the panel for them to assist me in getting justice from this suffering I am passing through for an offence I don’t know anything about and I need urgent medicare now because I am having serious difficulty in breathing due to the manner I was beaten by the SARS officers, “ he said.
However, counsel to the police said a case of alleged conspiracy, murder and armed robbery against the complainant is currently before the State High Court.
Counsel to the complainant, Layi, argued that his client is before the panel to seek justice over the brutality he suffered in the hands of the SARS operatives.
Chairman of the panel, Justice Cornelius Akintayo (retd) adjourned the matter to December 3rd for the continuation of hearing, calling on the parties to present their witnesses on the adjournment date.
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