Probe Kashamu for attempted murder but don’t extradite him to US, Court tells police

A Senator from Ogun State, Buruji Kashamu, has been ordered to present himself to the police for investigation into alleged murder attempt.

The court however warned security agencies not to hide under the cover of the investigation to extradite the senator to the United States (US) to face charges bothering on drug offenses.

Kashamu is alleged to have attempted to murder a member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Oladipupo Adebutu.

The order was given by a Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday on a case involving Kashamu, who represents Ogun East senatorial district at the Senate and Adebutu, who represents Ikene/Shagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency, also of Ogun State.

In his judgment on the matter on Thursday, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba ruled that the senator must honour all invitations extended to him by the Special Investigating Panel set up by the Inspector-General of Police to investigate the allegations contained in Adebutu’s petition.

While pointing out that the same special investigating panel was also asked by the Inspector-General of Police to probe Kashamu’s counter-petition against Adebutu, Justice Dimgba instructed that the police must make sure that the investigations are conducted in their facilities.

He ruled out a situation in which the police would conduct the probe in houses of private citizens.

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The judge further held that an attempt by security agencies, especially the police and the Department of State Service (DSS), to capitalise on the said investigation to arrest the senator, incarcerate him and transport him to the United States of America to face illicit drugs charges would be unlawful.

Adebiyi alleged that Kashamu connived with some thugs and made an attempt to murder him during Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) convention held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on August 16, 2016.

Adebutu therefore sent a petition dated August 22, 2016, to the Inspector General of Police, in which he reported the alleged attempt ‎on his life.

However, in his reply, Kashamu wrote a counter-petition dated August 26, 2016, to the IGP claiming that Adebutu was prompting the police and the DSS to abduct and transport him to the US in relation to illicit drugs charges he had been cleared of and in violation of court orders stopping him from being extradited.

 

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