The Department of State Services (DSS) has faulted the Socio-Economic and Accountability Project (SERAP) claim that its operatives invaded the organization’s office in Abuja, adding that the allegation portrayed its personnel badly.
DSS representative, John Afolabi, said this while testifying yesterday before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama at the resumed hearing in the suit filed by two personnel of the secret police, Sarah John and Gabriel Ogunleye.
The suit, filed for the DSS officials by their lawyer, Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), has SERAP and its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, as defendants.
John and Ogunleye are claiming N5 billion in damages and N50 million as the cost of the suit, and they demanded a public apology to be published in several media platforms.
Afolabi, who featured yesterday as the second claimant’s witness, adopted his written statement on oath as evidence in the case and urged the court to grant the reliefs sought by the claimants.
Under cross-examination by a lawyer to SERAP, Devine Oguru, the witness said, contrary to the impression created by the SERAP report, John and Ogunleye paid routine visits to the organization’s office but did not engage in any invasion.
Afolabi, who described himself as a Director in the Investigation Directorate of the DSS, said the claimants and he are competent, disciplined, and professional officers of the outfit.
The witness said not only did the allegations by SERAP cast the claimants in a bad light, but their employer (the DSS) got embarrassed because of people’s comments, and consequently ordered an investigation into the officer's conduct, like a government agency that engages in illegal operations.
According to the witness, as a result of the defendant’s false allegations, the claimants are currently the subject of an ongoing investigation by the DSS.
Afolabi said John and Ogunleye had been made to make statements, subjected to interrogations, faced a disciplinary panel, and were now suspended from the service pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation.
Under cross-examination by Oluwadare’s counsel, Oluwatosin Adesioye, the witness said the claimants, who are attached to the NGOs Table within the Investigation Directorate of the DSS, acted under the authority of their supervisor to embark on the visitation to SERAP’s office on September 9, 2024.
Justice Yusuf Halilu adjourned till June 30 for the commencement of the defence.