Mike Ozekhome, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has condemned the refusal of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to release his client, Bello Adoke, a former Attorney General of the Federation, from detention despite court order.
Ozekhome, in a statement on Thursday, said it was unfortunate that about a week after Justice Idris Kutigi of an FCT High Court granted Adoke bail, the EFCC had refused to release him.
According to him, the arraignment of his client at an Abuja FCT High Court on January 22, 2020, Mr. Adoke had already been illegally and unconstitutionally detained for extra six days, well beyond the 28 days earlier obtained through the ex parte court orders or the period allowed by section 35 of the 1999 Constitution, which prescribed 24 hours only.
The EFCC finally decided to arraign Adoke on January 27, 2020, the lawyer said.
Ozekhome said, “It is disheartening that despite meeting the bail conditions imposed by the court, since the January 30, 2020, the EFCC is still holding our client in permanent custody, till date.
“From the foregoing, it is crystal clear to any discerning observer that our client is no more being prosecuted, but is being persecuted, by the EFCC.”
The EFCC spokesman had yet to respond to this as at the time of filing this report.
Disobedience of court orders is prevalent under the administration of president Muhammadu Buhari
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