The Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr. John Abang has commissioned a newly built Statement Taking Room at the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) unit, Awkuzu, Oyi council area.
Commissioning the project, the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abang said the project is in line with proactive crime fighting models of the Inspector General of Police and appealed to sponsors of the project to extend it to other important police units in Anambra State.
The project, constructed in partnership with the Rule of Law and Anti – Corruption (ROLAC), programme in Anambra State and funded by the European Union, is designed to address shortcomings in effective dispensation of criminal justice process through interrogations.
The three-room block houses two interrogation rooms and one equipment room with close circuit television (CCTV) cameras and other basic equipment fully installed in them.
ROLAC had also prepared officers for the project by training the intelligence police officers (IPOs) on basic skill in statement taking.
In her opening remarks, the Anambra State Coordinator of ROLAC, Mrs. Josephine Onah, said the project would advance the course of effective criminal justice system in interviewing and interrogating crime suspects in a manner that discourages torture and trampling on their fundamental human rights.
She commended the immense cooperation of Anambra State Police Command in setting up the projects, adding that her Agency will take full oversight of activities of the statement taking room.
On his part, the Chairman of Anambra State Justice Sector Reform Team, Justice Peter Obiora said that the statements that would be generated from the rooms would go a long way in changing the narrative of prosecutions.
The Officer in charge of SARS, Awkuzu, CSO Patrick Agbazue, in his remarks, disclosed that the Statement Taking Room would give better approach and veracity to information that would help court processes and pledged that it would be used optimally.
Representative of the Attorney General of Anambra State, Nigerian Bar Association Anambra State chapter, the Controller, Nigeria Correctional Services Anambra State command and officers of SARS Anambra State command were all in attendance.
Highlight of the occasion was a mock demonstration of interrogation techniques by officers who had undergone the training to demonstrate how the new system works.
Signed by
Asika Ikemefuna
ACEO (Information)/ Head of Centre,
FIRC, Awka
