Court to hear toddler’s suit against IG
By Olalekan Adetayo, Ibadan
Wednesday, 19 Jan 2011

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A Federal High Court in Ibadan, has fixed February 9, for the hearing of the motion on notice to determine whether or not the police deserve an extension of time in the case of a four-year-old boy, Master David Olawale, The toddler had dragged the Inspector-General of Police to court over the alleged killing of his father, Mr. Babalola Olawale.


In a suit before Justice Shakarho, the only surviving child of the 36-year-old motor dealer is asking the court to declare the shooting and killing of her father as a gross violation of Sections 33(1) and 34 of the 1999 Constitution.


The toddler is also demanding N100m damages for the alleged wrongful killing.


The toddler’s father was allegedly shot dead on July 1, 2010 in Ibadan by a police inspector attached to the Crime Investigations Department of the Ogun State Police Command.


Olawale was said to have been shot dead during an argument that ensued between him and policemen who brought an armed robbery suspect to effect the deceased’s arrest over an allegation of receiving stolen vehicles.


The plaintiff also wanted an order of the court declaring the breaking into his mother’s house in the name of searching as a breach to private and family life which contravenes Section 37 of the Constitution.


He also prayed the court to restrain the defendants from further harassing, victimising, disturbing, arresting, detaining or subjecting his mother, Opeyemi to any form of indignity, inhuman or degrading treatment even as he asked for the release of the corpse of his father for a befitting burial.


The police had failed to show up in court since the case started in July 2010.


At a point, the judge warned that if the police failed to react to the suit, the court would be moved to base its judgment on the information contained in the suit filed by the plaintiff.