A policeman, Egoh Audu, on Wednesday reportedly alleged that his life and that of his child were being threatened because of his plan to testify in an inquest into the death of a Rite Foods distributor, Ademola Adedeji, who allegedly died in police custody.
Though Audu, a sergeant, was not present at the Wednesday’s proceedings, counsel representing the initiators of the inquest, Clement Eko, informed the Coroner, Mr. Elias Tajudeen, of the development.
Eko said the sergeant was being threatened because he had signified to testify at the instance of the initiators and not the police.
He urged the coroner to extract an undertaking from the police that Audu’s life, that of his child, and his job would be secured.
Eko said, “Your honour, our next witness is Audu. He told me that he has been receiving threat messages on his phone. He said the people behind the threats had also been telling him that they knew his child in the university. This is because he is going to testify at our instance.
“We just want your honour to communicate with the police authorities for them to guarantee his life and his job.”
But Mr. Cyril Ejiofor, the counsel representing the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar Manko, who was summoned, said the allegation was not specific enough to warrant the assistance of the police.
Ejiofor said, “That allegation is not explicit enough. Let my learned friend (Eko) come out openly and tell the court specifically who is making the threats.
“There are just two summoned parties, the commissioner of police and Rite Foods. Let them mention specifically who is making the threat so that we can assist.
“It is cruel to say that a commissioner of police will be witch-hunting a sergeant. That is not possible.”
Also, counsel for Rite Foods, Mr. R.O Alli, said it would be unnecessary to delay the proceedings to wait for Audu to testify.
The coroner, however, called on Ejiofor to get the police authorities to assure Audu of the security of his life and of his job.
“What he just wanted is security of his life and of his job. Do whatever you can to let him have the assurance,” Tajudeen said.
Ademola whose death occurred while in police custody on February 9, 2012, was said to have died in a controversial circumstance.
He was said to have been arrested on that day for allegedly issuing a dud cheque in favour of the company purportedly to offset his debts.
During cross-examination by Ejiofor and Alli, a relative of the deceased, Jide Akinbode, said Ademola did not owe the company.
He also said the police had denied the deceased bail for unknown reasons.
But the Chief Security Officer of the company, Mr. Innocent Osuji, said Adedeji had confessed to issuing a dud cheque, which made the company to ask police to arrest him.
The matter was adjourned till July 25.
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