Police to charge M.D. Adejoke Hospital to court over assault on journalist

 

 

Area K Command of the Lagos State Police has said the assault case brought against the M.D. of Adejoke Hospital, Asonibare Adeola, by the Editor-in-Chief- 9jreporters, shall be charged to court immediately courts in the state resume sitting.

The Investigating Police Officer (IPO), ASP Chris, in a telephone conversation, told the complainant on Tuesday morning.

According to the Complainant, the accused and two of his boys (Ade and Ortega) attacked him on April 3, 2021 at Oko-Afo area of Lagos; following anger that he (Complainant) is vying for the position of Chairman with the Accused, at a football club known as Progressive International All Stars (PIAS).

“I was at a function as the PRO of PIAS and was anchoring the event when Asonibare (Accused) came and dragged the microphone from my hand. Ortega started charging at me, and then stepped out. He returned with some rough looking boys. Having noticed the hostility, I decided to leave when Ade stopped me and elbowed me on my right eye.

“Seeing blood on my face, I went to Area K Command and reported the matter to ASP Chris (IPO). The Area Crime Officer (ACO), upon seeing blood on my face, directed the IPO to follow me to the place I was assaulted.

“When we got there, we were told that the Accused and his friends made it possible for Ade to escape. As the Accused saw me, he approached me and gave me a blow on my right eye, I fell on my stomach immediately- looking at the IPO at close range with his hands folded and watching the assault.

“Then I heard a female voice telling the IPO, ‘oga na assault be this o!’ While at the floor, the Accused kicked me and matched my head several times. Seeing that I was not responding (after 3mins) he stopped. When I stood up, the IPO gave me my Infinix and Samsung phones, as we entered the bus that brought us. We got back to Area K Command. The Accused drove in his car with his friends to the police station and told the ACO that it was two fighting.

“The lady who told the IPO that it was a case of assault at the scene then explained everything that happened to the ACO. The IPO, too told the same story of how I was assaulted by the Accused, in his presence. The ACO immediately ordered that the Accused be put in the cell.”

Madukwe (Complainant) said he was shocked to see the Accused the next day (Sunday, April 4) driving, as he was returning from the Badagry General Hospital for treatment.

“Without hearing from me, no feedback from the Complainant that was attacked with elbow and blow on the right eye, in the presence of the IPO, the Accused was released. The Accused boasted that he used N70,000 to bail himself. He also boasted that he released everybody he met in the cell, adding that he has money to spend on this case for it to turn round against me.”

The Complainant explained that the ACO and IPO said they did not receive any money from the Accused that his release was by the Area Commander, in line with the law that does not allow them to keep the Accused beyond 24hours.

WHY IPO ALLOWED ASSAULT ON JOURNALIST

“On Sunday, April 4, I was in the company of a friend (Francis) and my bike man in the office of the IPO, as I wrote my statement. The IPO asked me if I could remember him. I looked at him and said no, then continued writing my statement. The IPO explained that in 2019, I petitioned him to the Area  Commander then (Hope) alleging his complicity in an assault case between a couple and their neighbor.

“Immediately, Francis looked at me because he remembered bringing me into such matter. On the said matter, the IPO put the Complainant and his pregnant wife in the cell, after receiving their complaint. Then information came to me that the IPO has turned the case round against the Complainant and they did not have anyone to call for help. The next day, the IPO collected N10,000 each for the couple’s bail. “Upon hearing it, I informed the Commissioner of Police then, CP Edgal, who immediately called the Area Commander, who said she was not aware of such matter. The Area Commander ordered the IPO to call back all parties in the said matter and demanded the return of the N20,000 collected from the couple.”

SETTLEMENT OF ASSAULT ON JOURNALIST

The Complainant asserted that on Wednesday, April 7, the ACO called parties and the IPO to his office for settlement.

In a document titled “TERMS FOR SETTLEMENT and dated APRIL 7, 2021, the Complainant demanded for the sum of one million naira, undertaken against further assault and apology letter from the Accused.

He pointed out that the Accused, who came with his lawyer, refused the terms of settlement and agreed that the matter be taken to court.

EXCERPT- Wednesday, April 7 settlement meeting

CRIME OFFICER: Before we released him on Sunday, we called your line and it was not going. I told him (IPO) to go and look for you in your house.

BARTHOLOMEW [Complainant]: Nobody came to my place.

CRIME OFFICER: I know

IPO: So I will be going to his house to go and look for him. Me, I will go to the house of a Complainant to look for him?

CRIME OFFICER: So, if I give you an order you will not do it?

IPO: I will do. But Complainant, I will be looking for him to come and do his case, ahaa!

CRIME OFFICER: No problem! Are you okay at all? Are you okay? [Crime Officer charges at the IPO]

CRIME OFFICER: When you called him and his number was not going nko? No problem!