Ex-NIMASA Boss’ Prosecution: Lawyers Accuse EFCC Of Plans To Intimidate Judiciary
A group of legal practitioners, operating under the aegis of “Concerned Lawyers,” has raised the alarm over constant intimidation of the counsel to a former director-general of National Maritime Administration And Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr Patrick Akpobolokemi, saying it was a ploy to cow the judiciary.
The spokesperson of the lawyers Mr Hanacho Alogie, who said this to journalists at the weekend noted that if the alleged trend is not stopped, it would gravely undermine the position of the judiciary as the last hope of the common man.
The group further urged the commission to embrace the acceptable rules guiding prosecution of cases at the law court and avoid employing methods alien to the rule of law.
Alogie maintained that these actions smack of attempts to victimize judges who cannot say anything in their own defense publicly.
He described the alleged development as a deliberate attempt to pronounce Akpobolokemi guilty without establishing any element of the crime so alleged.
“Since the commencement of this case last year, we have watched with keen interest the peculiar manner with which the EFCC is going about the prosecution of Akpoblokemi. While we are not biased about any attempt at probing any alleged misconduct by public servants, we are deeply concerned about the exceptionality of the modus operandi employed on this matter without recourse to the rule of law and the sanctimonious place of the judiciary.
‘’As an arm of government, the independence of this sacred institution should not be a subject of debate any day. But we are taken aback by the calculated attempt by the EFCC to harass, intimidate and subdue the lawyers representing Dr. Patrick Akpoblokemi in this case.
“As a law abiding citizen conversant with his rights as enshrined in the 1999 constitution, Dr Patrick did not hide his readiness to fully cooperate with the commission regarding the investigations, but it comes surprising that he is being treated unfairly and his rights violated as well,” he said.
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