Reverse sack of policemen who invaded Clark’s house— Falana

Femi Falana (SAN), foremost human rights lawyer, has called for the reinstatement of the police officers who invaded the house of Ijaw leader, Edwin Clark.

Falana argued that the officers should not have been dismissed from the force in the first place.

Three of the four officers involved in the act were dismissed after the fruitless search of Clark’s residence based on a tip-off.

The policelater apologised to the Ijaw leader over the incident and sacked the men.

But in a statement Sunday, Falana said the police should have only suspended the officers since Clark had accepted the apology.

He added that the dismissal should be revisited by the Police Service Commission (PSC), saying it is the only body empowered to discipline erring officers.

“In a country where no security officer has ever been sanctioned for invading and searching the home of any citizen the dismissal of the three Police Inspectors ought to be revisited and reviewed by the Police Service Commission, the only body constitutionally empowered to dismiss and exercise disciplinary control over all serving police officers except the Inspector-General of Police,” he said.

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“Since Chief Clark has graciously accepted the public apology tendered by the Police Authorities the dismissal of the policemen should be converted to suspension.”

Falana said in the interest of national security, information concerning the importation and keeping of weapons in the homes of citizens should not be handled carelessly by police officers “for fear of dismissal from the service”.

“To prevent the violation of the right of citizens to the privacy of their homes by police officers and other security personnel the federal government should proceed to acquire the radar that has the capacity to detect weapons hidden in private houses or public buildings,” he said.

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