The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan, has said an accusation that a bribe-seeking policeman allegedly stripped a bus driver naked in Port Harcourt is now being tried.
Mukan made the disclosure on Tuesday while addressing the assaulted driver, the State Chairman of the Drivers Welfare Association of Nigeria and members of the Union at the office of the CP at the Force Headquarters in Port Harcourt who demanded justice.
The policeman had earlier been reported that he stripped one Saviour Nwidam, a commercial bus driver, naked around Ada George Road in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital on Monday for his refusal to pay a bribe.
The Rivers CP also assured members of the association that the accused police officer was already facing an orderly room trial.
He noted that any police officer found guilty of any misconduct would be made to face justice as the police command under his watch would not condone any form of indiscipline.
He said, “If somebody commits an offence, take the person to the station; I don’t see any reason why he will stop a suspect on the road and inflict injuries on him.
“He (accused policeman) is not going to go scot-free, we have started our disciplinary procedures and he’s going bear the consequences of his acts because we didn’t send him out there to molest drivers.
“The victim will continue his treatment, if he is strong enough, he will come and make his statement, I want him (Nwidam) to be very stable, but definitely, action has already been taken on the issue and all those involved must pay for it,” Mukan stressed.
Nwidam, explaining how the incident happened to the police commissioner, said the police officer entered his vehicle at Agip junction and demanded a N100 bribe for loading passengers at the bus stop and he refused to pay.
He said the officer then ordered him to drive to the station.
“He entered my vehicle and told me to pay N100 and when I refused to pay because I did not commit any offence, he ordered me to drive towards the police station.
“On our way to the station, the policeman started hitting me with a baton and dragging the wheel for me to stop. After I stopped the vehicle, some policemen joined him and started beating me. They stripped me naked, and damaged my vehicle.”