14 policemen arraigned for murder in Calabar

 FOURTEEN policemen in Cross River State who allegedly killed a 300 level Accounting student and other inmates in police custody have been charged and arraigned for murder.
The policemen were arraigned for an alleged extra judicial killing of one Derek Maurice Ben and five others in 2014, branding them “armed robbers.”
The case which came up for hearing yesterday at the State High Court, Calabar in Suit No HC/2C/2016 before Justice Mike Edem saw both prosecuting and defense counsels arguing over whether or not to grant the accused policemen bail.
After much argument, ruling on bail application was adjourned to February 15, 2016 while the 14 accused persons were remanded in police custody.



 


The mother to Derek, Mrs. Eno Maurice Ben, had petitioned the police authorities, accusing men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Cross River State Police Command of killing her son, Derek, a 300 level Accounting student of the University of Calabar.
She had pointed accusing fingers at a particular SARS officer, (name withheld) whom she said arrested Derek close to their home one evening, took him to the State Police Headquarters and later murdered him in cold blood in the name of robbery.
She said one of the officers allegedly involved in the killing had earlier threatened to deal with her family members due to an alleged disagreement involving their church authorities and the policeman.