NAN-H-110
Ubani
By Moji Eniola
Ikeja, May 3, 2017 (NAN) Mr Onyekachi Ubani, the 2nd National Vice-President, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), has called for the intervention of Mr Adeniji Kazeem, Lagos State Attorney-General, to curtail what he called the illegal activities of a man (name withheld), currently on bail for murder charges.
Ubani, who made the call on Wednesday at a media briefing in Lagos, said the man had been terrorising traders at the popular auto parts market at Ladipo, Mushin, Lagos.
He alleged that the defendant, a revenue collector for Mushin Local Government, has been on bail over the murder of Anene Utazi, a trader at the market on Feb. 18, 2016.
He was released on bail by Justice A.O. Taiwo of a Lagos High Court on Oct. 26, 2016 in spite of the advice of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) that the accused be charged with murder.
According to the lawyer, the defendant lied on his bail application.
“He has been doing his best to ensure that he escapes justice, he fraudulently obtained a continuation of bail by giving false information on his bail application.
“He claimed in his bail application that he is a sufferer of high blood pressure but he did not attach any medical report to prove this which is in direct contravention of Section 161 (1)(a) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law.
“He lied about the length of his remand which was three months and 13 days as opposed to the eight months he deposed to in his affidavit,” Ubani said.
He said after bail was granted to the accused, he had been “intimidating” witnesses who are scheduled to testify against him during his trial.
“He has been trying his best to frustrate his trial, he has been intimidating witnesses by issuing death threats and attacking them openly.
“He has also has been relentlessly terrorising Ladipo Market with some thugs, especially those who allegedly played a part in the murder of Utazi.
“I have petitioned the Honourable Attorney-General of Lagos State, State Commissioner of Police, Inspector General of Police and the Assistant Inspector General of Police.
“The Department of State Security (DSS), the State House of Assembly and the National Assembly and the general public have also notified to intervene in this case,” Ubani told newsmen. (NAN)
MAE/DA
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Edited by Dele Akinsola