How disbanded SARS men held my brother illegally for months in custody – Victim’s relation


The ongoing Abuja #EndSARS panel hearing allegations of human rights violations by the police Monday confirmed the death of a suspect Edward Dumisara, in the disbanded SARS custody, after alleged unlawful arrest and disappearance of the victim for months.
Three senior officers attached to the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team, Martin Samuel, Essien Edet and David Agbo, were accused of the unlawful arrest and enforced disappearance of Edward Dumisara.


The elder brother of the victim, Confidence Leera, brought a petition on the matter before the Abuja panel.
Leera said the family had not set eyes on Dumisara since his arrest in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, by the named officers in November 2019.

He said the police officers did not allow even the victim’s then pregnant wife to see him even after pleading to see his brother.
However, the police told the panel that Dumisara died during the investigation in June 2020.


“Edward was released on bail in August 2019, only for the ASP to call on September 14 of the same year, demanding N3 million for the closure of the case against his brother, an offer he rejected.
“He was again arrested in November 2019, for an alleged involvement in a kidnap operation, an event they said Mr Agbo called to notify them of on November 3, two days after  we noticed his sudden disappearance. “We filed a suit for his release to the Rivers State High Court in December 2019, and the judgement was delivered in our favour. The judge ordered that N5,000 should be paid for each day he remained in detention until his release,” Mr Leera said, adding that the police disregarded the order and filed a counter suit against his brother in January 2020. Agbo denied the allegation of demanding N3 million from the family of the victim.


The original bank statement tendered before the panel showed that Mr Agbo collected N5,000 and N20,000 directly from Mr Leera and one of the victim’s family members, while the case lingered.
“It is a blatant lie. This is Dumisara when he was arrested. He was arrested for the murder of two policemen. He confessed to how they murdered policemen, how they shared the money from the kidnapping operation and how much he got.


“How can I demand money from a kidnapper who killed two of my fellow officers? In fact, the day I went to visit the man’s wife at the hospital, I was the one who gave them money out of tears. The officer has nine children,” he said.
Mr Agbo refuted allegations of denying access to members of the deceased family.

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