Panel summons hospital CMD, MDCN Registrar over alleged killing of corps member by police

An independent panel of inquiry on Monday summoned the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Garki General Hospital, Abuja and the Registrar, Medical and Dental Practitioners Council (MDCN) to appear before its members on December 2.

The panel was established by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to investigate cases of rights violations by operatives of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

The chairman of the panel, Justice Suleiman Galadima, summoned the two officials after hearing a petition filed by a woman, Chinenye Igwetu, over the killing of her younger sister by a SARS operative, Insp. Benjamin Peters.

He adjourned hearing in the petition till December 2.

The petitioner had on November 4 told the panel that the policeman shot her sister on July 3, 2018, in Abuja.

Igwetu listed Peters, the FCT Commissioner of Police and the Inspector-General of Police as respondents in the petition.

Earlier, counsel for the respondents, James Idachaba, told the panel that the police was served with the process on November 4.

Idachaba urged the panel to invite Peters in the matter.

 

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He added that the police would assist the panel to achieve its mandate.

The counsel for the panel, China Obiagwu (SAN), who appeared for the petitioner, prayed the panel to summon the CMD of Garki General Hospital and the MDCN registrar to give evidence in the matter.

The petitioner told the panel that her sister, a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), was shot in front of the Ceddi Plaza in Abuja and later died in Garki General Hospital.

“A nurse took me inside a room and informed me that they lost my sister. She died at exactly 6:10 a.m., I can never forget that,” she said.

The woman added that she filed a complaint against Peters at the Police Service Commission (PSC).

“I want justice for my sister. I want my family to be compensated even though no amount of money can bring back my sister. She had many dreams,” Igwetu pleaded.

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