Traditional Palm Wine Palava: Human Rights Lawyer Petitions Imo Chief Judge, Requests Transfer Of Case
A human rights lawyer, Chief G.O. Anyalemechi ESQ has petitioned the Acting Chief Judge of Imo State, Justice Ijeoma Oguguo, Calling for transfer of case between the Commissioner of Police vs Okechukwu Ekeanyanwu with charge No: MHO/50/2020, holding at Magistrate Court Iho Ikeduru.
In the letter dated October 5th, 2021 and personally signed by the defendant’s counsel, which was made available to newsmen at Mpi -Dike Chambers Ngugo – Obare recently reads:
“We wish to apply for the transfer of the above stated matter being handled by His Lordship C. A. Akalugwu at the Magistrate Court Iho Ikeduru to any other Magistrate within Ikeduru Magistrial District.
” We are dissatisfied in the manner the sitting Magistrate has been handling the matter. He overrules every legal objection by the defense Counsel.
For instance;
” That a Police officer who is not legally qualified is not a Counsel within the provision of section 182(d) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, No 2 of 2020 Imo State of Nigeria.
The release also states: “That proceedings being handled by a Police prosecutor taken over by a qualified Counsel should be started De Novo.
” That notification by Counsel that he was not satisfied by his continuation of the case, was not accepted by him, he kept counsel sitting in the Court while the prosecutor led a prosecution witness in evidence;
‘That a female clerk in the Court is a wife to the younger brother of the nominal complaint and the interest of Justice is being compromised.”
According to the release: ” The Defence Counsel being a retired military officer, ( Brigadier – General) is disciplined and cannot condone seeing travesty of Justice.
In the light of the above therefore, we are humbly requesting that His Lordship transfers this case to a neutral Magistrate whether within or outside the jurisdiction for continuation of hearing. “This, to us My Lord, will satisfy the provision of Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended).”
“Our correspondent witnessed the court proceedings held at Iho Magistrate Court on Thursday 3rd, December 2020 where the defense Counsel prayed to His Lordship to set Mr. Okechukwu Ekeanyanwu free, adding that he has done nothing to deserve maltreatment from his brothers who accused him of defaming one Mr. Anselem Acholonu, who went to Mr. Okechukwu Ekeanyanwu’s house to asked for ( Nmaya Orie) palm wine.
The Counsel prayed further that the defendant has been ostracized for refusing to give them palm wine which they came to collect wrongly, which made them to fabricate a statement against the defendant that he said ” have you come to kill me as you killed Anselem Acholonu’s brother?”
Anyalemech, hinted that the complainant and his cohorts took Mr. Okechukwu Ekeanyanwu to police with a plan to send him to Owerri prisons describing him as an innocent man.
Meanwhile, efforts by our correspondent to reach His Lordship C.A. Akalugwu at the time of filing this report provied abortive.
Nmaya Orie is symbolical communal contributions made to the community to help families who are either bereived or doing one ceremony or the other in some communities in Ikeduru and other communities in other parts of Imo State.
