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Anambra Show of Shame Season 2 As Police Debase Judiciary In Imo

discharged suspects and threaten lawyer with gun before a sitting magistrate

There is strong indication that the strong hands of Abuja are fully on the Nigeria Police as represented by the Imo State Police Command and its police commissioner is clearly out for mischief by the way it is handling the case of election observers from Justice and Equality Organisation that were arrested in Owerri on Thursday 14th November, 2013 in the premises of Disney Hotel.

Despite the fact that the Imo Police has been used to prevent the group (JEO) from monitoring the Anambra Guber poll, another plan as also been put in place not to parade the suspect in the court of law since the commissioner has no evidence to support all his false allegations.

The commissioner has instructed the OC Legal to parade all the observers at the court of law before receiving the latest instruction from Abuja, shortly before the case was called, the police suddenly seize and took away some of the suspects and when this came to the knowledge of the lawyers representing the observers; it was raised by them before the presiding magistrates. After some arguments between the lawyers of the observers and Police Officer in Charge of Legal (OC Legal), the magistrate ruled that it will stand the matter down for two hours so that the remaining suspects could be produced before the court. It was at this point that the OC Legal let loose in the court when he stated that he is returning all the accused to police cell and right in the presence of the presiding magistrate brought out his gun, corked it and directed about twenty other gun-wielding policemen to enter the premises. These policemen wielding and cocking their gun right in the presence of the magistrate and other lawyers took away the remaining suspects in court.

While it is expected that having brought the alleged suspects before a magistrate court on three count charges which includes: conspiracy to commit misdemeanour, to wit, unlawful assembly; unlawful assembly and conduct likely to breach peace , the Imo State Police Command will allow the judicial system to follow its due course. Rather, men and officers of the Imo State police command acted in a manner that call into question their motive behind their actions and behavior in the present of the chief magistrate.

Notwithstanding that the magistrate stood down the matter for just two hours and the proceeding ought to resume by 1.30 p.m. the police refused to come back before the magistrate or produced any of the suspects. After waiting in vain for about two hours and for fear of his life the magistrate had to adjourn the case to December, 6.

It is clear that the Imo State police command deliberately decided to bring the hallowed chamber of the magistrate court and indeed the entire judiciary into ridicule with a view to denying the suspects their right to being granted bail.

All the senior lawyers at the court expressed utmost shock at the sordid development, noting that they have never witnessed such an incident in recent history, not even at the height of military rule.

As it were, even though the three counts in respect of which the observers were charged are clearly bailable offence, we have it on good authority that the intention of the Police, acting on ‘orders from above’ was to continue to detain, intimidate and harass the observers so that they can be forced after turning down offers to cajole them to make incriminating statements which the police are looking to rope in opposition politicians in
 the All Progressive Congress.

Meanwhile, the initial allegations of guns, charms and fake voters cards have all disappeared from the police charges contrary to police’s initial sensational press briefing

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