Richard Ginika Izuora
The Ebonyi Judicial Panel of Inquiry investigating alleged Police brutality and other related extra-judicial killings on Tuesday confirmed receipt of 62 petitions.
The Chairman of the panel, retired Justice Alloy Nwankwo, made the disclosure in Abakaliki.
The eight-member panel was inaugurated by Governor David Umahi on October 20; in line with the Federal Government’s directive to meet the demands by the EndSARS protesters.
“In total, we have received 62 petitions as at March 4, in Ebonyi,” he said
Nwankwo said of the 62 petitions, the Ebonyi State panel had dispensed with 19.
He said: “40 petitions are part-heard while three are yet to be heard, but already slated for hearing.”
He listed challenges facing the panel to include abandonment of petitions by petitioners; failure of witnesses to appear before it, and paucity of funds.
“There are petitions that have been stroked and abandoned due to lack of testifiers,” he added.
The Chairman, commended the Federal Government’s decision on the constitution of the panel; .saying that the panel in the State was working hard to deliver on its mandate responsibly.
According to him, the panel has been dispensing justice with fairness to all who suffered one form of harassment or the other in the hands of police operatives, irrespective of age, religion, and ethnicity.