Thousands of civil society protesters this morning staged a protest in front of the Port Harcourt prisons over issues concerning the health, safety and security of an ardent opponent of the Rivers state government, Mr.Ojukaye Flag Amachree.
Mr Amachree,a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in Rivers state is facing murder trial before a Rivers state High Court.The trial judge,Mrs.Meg Opara,wife of a prominent PDP chieftain and Wike loyalist,Chief Austin Opara,had denied the politician bail on health grounds.Mr.Ojukaye who had earlier been arraigned before a Port Harcourt magistrate has remained in incarceration for over 5 months.
Surprisingly,in what obviously appeared like a political witch-hunt and persecution,the Rivers state government again slammed another two-count charge on Mr.Ojukaye who’s health has deplorably deteriorated in recent past.The interesting thing about the new charges is that the police whose responsibility is to investigate and subsequently charge an accused to court has said that it has not received any petition against the politician neither has it investigated the politician over the new charges.
It is understood that it was the Attorney-general of the state,Barr.Emma Aguma and officials of his ministry and colleagues in government that contrived the new charges as a means of punishing the said Mr.Amachree who is seen as a torn on the flesh of the Wike administration.
More worrisome is the role of the Rivers state judiciary in the whole saga.The state Chief Judge,Iyayi Laminkara has shown deeper-than-necessary interest in the matter.The state Chief judge,against all known judicial procedures,ordered the accused to appear in her court to take his plea today,Monday 4th July despite the absence of a police report or investigation tying the accused to the charges,this is notwithstanding the fact that the Court of Appeal is due to deliver judgment on his bail application same today.
The role of the Rivers state judiciary has come under heavy public criticisms in recent times,as some of its officials appear falling-over-themselves to please the Rivers governor .Critics have tied the seeming pocketing of the state judiciary as a sign of appreciation to Gov.Wike who recently disbursed cash and car gifts to the state judicial officials.
The protesters are calling for rule of law,fairness and equity in line with known criminal procedures.They are demanding the resignation of the Rivers Chief judge who they say is a ‘loyal legal Adviser to the PDP and Gov.Wike.
They are also calling on the National judicial council(NJC)to probe the activities of Rivers state judicial officers as well as the immediate resignation of Justice Iyayi Laminkara as the state Chief judge for attempting to arraign an accused without a police investigation or report.
The protest is still ongoing as at the time of this report.
Image Credit: Sir Ikenda
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