The Africa Center for Good Governance and Corruption Free Communities, a civic organization, has expressed concern that a civil matter against a human rights lawyer, Barrister Victor Giwa, and two others, has been turned into a criminal case by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
The civic group raised the concern while asking the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and the Director of Public Prosecution in the Ministry of Justice, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, to review the case.
In a statement by the Convener, Temitope Olubunmi Joseph, the CSO explained that the case began as a civil matter but was turned into a criminal matter by the former AGF, Abubakar Malami, SAN.
Calling for a thorough review of the matter to unravel the truth, the civic group expressed concern that the charge could be a witch hunt.
“This is supposed to be a civil matter; the question we should ask is, at what point did it turn into a criminal matter? We know the Honorable AGF Fagbemi and the DPP, Oyedepo, are yet to turn their minds to looking at the matter critically.
“We are using this medium to call on them to revisit this matter and call for a fresh investigation.
“The last administration in the ministry led by Malami used his office to intimidate and harass Giwa and his client, Cecil Osakwe, over a property owned y Osakwe, located at No. 1, Me Long Close, Maitama, Abuja.
“We plead with the AGF to once again look into the matter and order a fresh investigation, so as not to punish an innocent person,” the civil society organization said.
DAILY POST reports that a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court presided by Justice Samira Bature had issued an arrest warrant against Giwa and a police official, Edith Erhunmuuse. They were to be arraigned with another defendant, Cecil Osakwe, on a nine-count charge marked FCT/HC/CR/222/2023, brought against them by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
The charge accused the defendants of engaging in criminal conduct over alleged forceful eviction of occupants and property damage estimated at N300 million.
However, the civil society organization observed that the said eviction over which the defendants were charged was ordered by a court.
“Without the order of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, the eviction could not have been carried out,” the civic group said, while faulting the criminal prosecution.
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