#EndSARS Inquiry: Plateau Attorney General Warns Against Perjury
BY CHAMBERLAIN ODEY, JOS – Plateau State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Chrysanthus Amadu, has warned citizens bringing cases of SARS or Police brutality before the Commission of Inquiry sitting in Jos to be careful and avoid committing perjury in the process.
According to him, every petitioner will be required by law to give evidence under oath, warning that lying under oath is perjury and attracts a jail term of seven years or more.
He said those who might be tempted to concoct cases must think twice as the law will be brought to bear on them.
Amadu spoke at the inaugural sitting of Judicial Commission of Inquiry recently constituted by Governor Simon Lalong in response to the #EndSARS demands of the youths had with the Commission Chairman, Justice Philomena Lot (rtd),
The Commissioner however promised that the State government would create a conducive environment for the Commission to deliver on its assignment, adding; “We will do justice to all”.
At the Commission’s inaugural sitting at the Azi Nyako Youth Centre, Dadin Kowa, Jos South, Justice Lot lauded the Federal and Plateau State governments for acting in tune with democratic governance by not only disbanding SARS as demanded by the youths, but also setting up Judicial Commissions of Inquiry in every State to holistically review complaints against the SARS operations and Human Rights abuses.
Justice Lot said; “We urge those with genuine complaints to come forward and file their complaints…. We therefore urge those appearing before us to be precise in their submissions to avoid unnecessary arguments and legal technicalities to enable us to do justice to the matters. We assure you that we will do justice to all those that appear before us”.
Also in his address, Garba Paul, (SAN), who represented the body of SANs at the occasion, commended the composition of personnel in the Commission, expressing the hope that justice would to be served at the end of the day.
Paul urged the Commission to do its best, including having the courage to recommend appropriate and adequate compensation where victims prove case of substantial damage, noting that the problem of Police brutality against citizens in Nigeria is an old one.
In his remarks, Chairman, Jos Branch of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Yakubu Bawa, expressed confidence in the professional experience and mileage of the Commission’s members.
He announced that the NBA has undertaken to offer pro bono (free) services to members of the public who may be having issues with forwarding their petitions and pleading their cases at the Commission.
