Submit yourself to the Police: Court tells Buruji Kashamu

An Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has dismissed an application brought by Buruji Kashamu, an Ogun State senator, seeking to stop the police from investigating him in a case of alleged attempt to assassinate another senator, Oladipupo Kessington.

Mr. Kashamu had approached the court with a request to stop an investigation which began after Mr. Kessington accused him of attempting to take his life.

Read also: We Will Ensure Kashamu Is Arrested And Sent To US For Trial
Mr. Kashamu told the court that the attempt to invite him for questioning by a special investigation panel of the police force, is a plan to hand him to the United States authorities where he is wanted for drug related offences.

Mr. Kashamu’s lawyer, Raphael Oluyede, asked the court to ensure the fundamental rights of his clients are not abused by the police whom he alleged would force his client to go abroad against his will.

Read also: Buruji Kashamu Explains Why PDP Lost In Ondo State
Delivering the ruling however, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba said the law empowers the police to invite and investigate any Nigerian for such an offence as that alleged against Mr. Kashamu.

Mr. Dimgba said by virtue of the law, the police are bound to invite the applicant and that he is bound to respect the invitation. The judge added that the allegation about a ploy to forcefully take the applicant to the U.S. was baseless and without any foundation.

Read also: Senator Dino Melaye Asks Senators To Stop Recall Process
“I do not see how the police can be faulted by acting within the constitution to invite the senator. I do not believe that the allegations of ploy to extradite the applicant to the United States of America is justified here.
“Police is bound to set up an investigating panel and the senator is bound to submit himself to the organs of the police including honouring the letter of investigation,” the judge ruled.

Mr. Dimgba however noted the fears expressed by Mr. Kashamu, saying that the documents presented in court shows that he (the applicant) failed to make himself available for questioning to the U.S. authorities despite promising to do so, ahead of his election; thereby ridiculing his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, before the people of Ogun State.

Read also: Dino Melaye Appeals For Recall To Be Stopped
Consequently, the court asked Mr. Kashamu to submit himself for questioning by the special investigation panel set up by the Inspector General of Police to look into the allegation of attempted murder brought against him.