Family Of Slain Man Unhappy About Death Sentence On Policeman
Members of the family of the late Shagari Haruna, who was killed by Cpl. Obanla Julius, say they are unhappy with the death sentence slammed on the policeman.
The family’s spokesman, Mr. Suleiman Haruna, conveyed the family’s viewpoint while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday.
He said that the family was not happy with the capital punishment pronounced on Julius by the court, as he was not to be entirely blamed for his action.
Haruna said that as far as the family was concerned, the Nigeria Police were to blame for Shagari’s death.
He said that the police had failed in their responsibility of training their personnel in proper weapons’ handling and good public relations.
“It is the fault of the Nigeria Police; we are going to sue them for damages for the death of our brother because of their failure to adequately train their man before giving him a gun to handle.
“Our family is not happy with the sentence, our father told us that his wish was for the cop to face God’s judgment, although we wanted him to be punished to serve as a deterrent to others like him.
“We certainly do not want him to die. What punishment is death anyway? Let him live and face other punishments here on earth and settle with God hereafter,†he said.
Haruna, however, commended the judge and the prosecuting counsel for their efforts to promote justice, saying: “This goes to show that the nation’s judiciary still remains the last hope of the common man.â€
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Julius on May 2, 2002, shot and killed Shagari Haruna at the Federal Housing Authority junction in Kubwa, Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In his judgment, Justice Abubakar Talba of an Abuja high court said that the prosecution had established and proven a case of culpable homicide against Julius.
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