A Lagos-based lawyer Abdul Kehinde has said that the judicial panel of enquiry set up by the Lagos State Government to investigate the October 20 Lekki shooting has no jurisdiction to sit.
Mr Kehinde made his submission in an article on Saturday titled ‘#Endsars Proteset 2020’ and made available to Qed.ng.
The lawyer said the panel has no jurisdiction considering it might need to investigate Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu who said he requested military presence at the Lekki toll gate on October 20 but did not ask them to shoot #EndSARS protesters.
He said: “The questions are: Does the Lagos State Governor have the power to set up and innaugurate the Panel of Enquiry under the Lagos State Laws? I say YES.
“Is the Panel of Enquiry Properly Constituted? I say YES.
“Is Lagos State Government a party to be investigated by the panel? I say YES.
“Does the Panel Of Enquiry set up by the Lagos State Government have jurisdiction, with the inclusion of the Lekki Shooting of 20/10/2020 as part of Term of Reference (TOR) for the Panel to look into, given the fact that the Governor has now owned up that he was indeed the person who ordered the military? I say NO.
“I say NO because it offends the legal principle of NEMO JUDEX INCAUSA SUA. Meaning you cannot be a judge in your own matter. The Lagos State Government has become a party to be investigated by the Panel given the fact that the Governor has owned up that he was indeed the person who invited the military to the scene of a peaceful protest ‘but he didn’t ask them to shoot.’
“On this note, I humbly say that the Panel of Enquiry has no jurisdiction to sit, if the Lekki Shooting is part of their Term of Reference, and any pronouncement or findings to be submitted in its White to the same Lagos State government who is one 9f the parties to be investigated by the panel, will be of no effect and a nullity, as you cannot build something on nothing and expect it to stand. It will surely collapse.”
