Kogi judge alleges police might have planted incriminating items in his house

A Kogi High Court Judge, Yunusa Musa, on Sunday alleged that some police officers might have planted incriminating items in his house following an invasion of his residence by security operatives to conduct a search without a warrant.

Musa of High Court 5 who briefed newsmen on the development on Sunday alleged the incident took place at his residence in Lokoja on Monday, July 8, while he was away at work.

He said that policemen conduct a search on all his rooms, including those of his wife and children, without any form of notice of offence or a search warrant. According to him, the police ought to have informed him of their mission.

“When my wife and children told me about their experiences in the hands of the invading policemen on Monday, I thought they were men of Special Anti Robbery Squad.

“I know I have not committed any offence to warrant such a visit to my house.

“It was in the office, the following day, that I got to know that DCP Polycarp Dibia of Kogi State Police command, Criminal Investigation Department, was behind the invasion over an alleged issue involving my security guard.”

Mr Musa said that the police officer, in a letter dated July 9, 2019, instructed him (Musa) to produce one Nelson over an alleged assault.

“The house is not for my security guard; if the police authority can write to my office, for me to produce the alleged offender, that is to say the police knew that this house is mine, not his.

“I know, by my knowledge of the law, and being on the bench for 20 years, that it is unlawful to search a house without a warrant.

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“An offence committed by somebody else cannot be visited on another person because there is no precarious liability in a criminal offence.

“You cannot transfer offence of Mr A to Mr B. The law of the land does not permit that,” Mr Musa argued.

He, however, queried why the police invaded and searched his house rather than the house of the alleged offender since there was no precarious liability in crime.
“My fear is whether the police have planted incriminating items in my house that may serve as a platform for future victimisation,” he said.

On whether he had heard from Mr Nelson, the judge said, “I couldn’t get in touch with him because he travelled to his village and they don’t have network in their village.
“Please note, it was when I got this letter from the deputy commissioner of police that I knew they were in my house because of my security guard.

“The shock of the incident has not enabled me to know if any document or property is missing in my house or something was planted,” he told journalists.

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