The Nigerian Bar Association in Imo State has condemned in strong terms an alleged assault, humiliation, torture and unlawful detention meted out on one of its members, Chigozie Chinaka, by Assistant Commissioner of Police, David Ogenyi, of the Police Area Command in Owerri.
Addressing a press conference at the secretariat of the Nigerian Bar Association In Owerri, the Imo State capital, the state chairman of the association, Allinor Ugochukwu, called on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to kindly prevail in the matter accordingly and in the meantime suspend ACP David Ogenyi and the concerned officers to guarantee a thorough and unbiased investigation.
The victim, Chigozie Chinaka, who narrated what transpired between him and the police to journalists, alleged that he was beaten to a pulp and stripped naked by ACP Ogenyi and some officers of the Owerri Municipal Command in the course of performing his legal duty – seeking the bail of a client who was earlier arrested and detained.
Condemning the alleged police brutality and illegal detention of their own, the NBA called on the IGP to wade into the matter and set up an independent panel to investigate the matter.
Meanwhile, the Imo State Police Command has described as malicious and untrue the allegations by the lawyer.
In an interview with Channels Television, the Public Relations Officer of the Imo State Police Command, Henry Okoye, said the account of the lawyer is a total different version of what transpired.
He, however, said that the Commissioner of Police in the state has constituted an investigative panel to look into the matter.
