Police tortured me, alleged I was gay, victim tells Edo judicial panel

A Benin-based tailor, Johnson Eze, on Monday told the Edo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry for victims of SARS and related abuses, how the police arrested him over an allegation that he was gay, tortured and extorted N100,000 from him.

Also, he said he was unlawfully detained for three days at the Iyekogba Police Station in Benin on the orders of the Area Commander.

He said that he was abused and coerced to sign a statement already prepared by the police.

Similarly, two other victims, Hyacinth Inhanrebhor and Pascal Omozee, told the Edo Judicial Panel that they were forced to pay N50,000 and N60,000 respectively on the claims that they were homosexuals after being arrested by policemen and taken to the same Iyekogba Police Station.

Narrating his ordeal to theESO Judicial panel, Mr Eze said he was arrested on June 15, 2020, by the Area Commander, Johnson Acha, and his team and was detained for three days and made to pay N100,000.

Read also: ‘Police killed my son but claimed he was shot dead by armed robbers,’ Man tells Edo panel

He said, “They took me to the police station and forced me to agree that I was homosexual. They used a stick to beat me to say the truth and after then, they detained me.

“I sustained an injury in my forehead and my leg during the beating. They molested and detained me based on accusations that I was gay. I was molested and humiliated for three days from June 15 to 18 after which I was forced to pay N100,000.

Under cross-examination by counsel for the police, Polycarp Odion, the victim, however, said he did not obtain a medical report from the hospital to substantiate his claims of being beaten and injured.

Mr Odion, however, told the Edo Judicial panel that the victim was only blackmailing the police.

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