The Lagos State Panel on Restitution for Victims of SARS-related abuses and other matters on Friday began sitting at few minutes past 11am even though the panel chairperson, Justice Doris Okuwobi (Rtd) apologized for the late start.
At the start of the day’s proceeding, Adeshina Ademola Ogunlana (SAN) made appearance as counsel to the EndSARS protesters.
His appearance suffered objection from the counsel to the Lagos State government, Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN) who said that a counsel could only represent an entity known by law.
Also, the counsel to the Lekki Concession Company (LCC), Rotimi Seriki described the EndSARS protesters as a leaderless organisation and not known to the Nigeria law.
Ogunlana however said that the other counsels have no right to declare his clients as leaderless.
“We are here because of the EndSARS protesters. It is a fact-finding panel. The protesters have faces, they have solid evidences. They are not ghosts,” he said while he presented three ladies who were among the protesters to the panel.
The trio are Victoria Oniru, Dabiru Ayuku and Perpetual Kamsiyuchukwu.
Having presented the trio before the panel, both Seriki and Owonikoko withdrew their objection.
The panel chairperson, Justice Okuwobi thereafter admitted the footage submitted by LCC as evidence and marked exhibit ‘E’.
Counsel for LCC, Seriki therefore applied that the panel be guided and begin watching the footage from 4pm down to the arrival of the military and what transpired thereafter so as to avoid wasting time on watching the entire footage from the start of the day.
Ogunlana objected, insisting that every content of the footage must be viewed by the panel.
Okuwobi ruled that the entire content of the footage be viewed.
For the past one hour, the panel has been watching the footage of recording from 12am on Tuesday, October 20, 2020.
It would be recalled that the army allegedly arrived the scene of the protest at about 6.45pm on Tuesday.
With the viewing of the footage ongoing, the panel may not be able to attend to other issues this Friday.
The panel had earlier listed Lekki Concession Company for continuation hearing from Tuesday; Commissioner of Police for mentioning as well as further hearings of Basil Chetal Ejiagwa versus FSARS and OIukoya Ogungbeje versus FSARS.
Because the video has no audio, many attendees at the proceeding are already sleeping while some have stepped out of the hall.
Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.
