Private legal practitioner and lead convenor of the Democracy Hub, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, has called for an independent investigation into allegations surrounding the arrest of Salomey Awiti at her residence while her minor children were present.
Mr Barker-Vormawor said the circumstances surrounding the alleged arrest raise fundamental questions about the conduct of law enforcement officers and the protection of children who may have been left unattended following the arrest of their mother.
In a statement on social media, he said regardless of the public and political positions surrounding the Salomey Awiti matter, attention should be given to the specific allegations concerning how the arrest was carried out.
“No matter how you feel about the Salomey Awiti matter; I am surprised that we haven’t yet had a dispassionate [discussion] about the allegations that law enforcement operatives went to the home of a woman living with minors,” he wrote.
According to him, the allegation is that the officers arrested Awiti during the night while her children were in the house and subsequently instructed the children to return to sleep before leaving them at the residence.
“Arrested their mother in the night; and told the children to go back to sleep. And just left them there,” Mr Barker-Vormawor stated.
He questioned whether such conduct would be considered appropriate, particularly where children are allegedly involved.
“Is this proper conduct?” he asked, arguing that the matter should not be dismissed or overshadowed by the political debate surrounding the case.
Mr Barker-Vormawor further questioned why the allegations had not, to his knowledge, triggered a formal investigation to establish what actually happened at the residence.
“Why is this not being investigated; for the truth to be established?” he asked.
He also called on the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to take an interest in the matter, particularly because of the alleged presence and circumstances of the minors.
“And why is the ministry of social protection not investigating the matter?” he added.
The Democracy Hub convenor said the political nature of the wider controversy risked distracting the public from what he described as basic questions of law enforcement conduct and child protection.
“Politics can really obscure us from asking the most fundamental questions,” he said.
He stressed that his call is not necessarily about taking sides in the broader dispute but about ensuring that the allegations are properly examined and the facts established.
“For me, these are allegations that demand answers. Politics be damned,” Mr Barker-Vormawor said.
His comments add to calls for greater scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding Awiti’s arrest, with the central issue being whether proper procedures were followed and whether adequate consideration was given to the welfare and safety of the minors allegedly present at the time.
He reiterating his position that the allegations should be addressed on their merits, irrespective of the political affiliations or positions of those involved.
By 1960news.com
