A Calabar-based human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mba Ukweni (SAN), has accused officials of Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu of using their political influence to persecute a former special adviser to immediate past governor Ben Ayade on Cocoa Development and Control, Dr Oscar Ofuka.
Ukweni made the allegation yesterday when he reacted to the circumstances that led to the arrest of Ofuka, who is now in a coma in one of the hospitals in Calabar.
He said as a lawyer, he would never obstruct the cause of justice or prosecution of any individual who had been found wanting, stressing that what he is against is when those in charge failed to follow due process.
“They should just pray that nothing happens to Ofuka. Being in government does not make anyone above the law.
“All I expected them to have done is to set up a commission of enquiry to investigate what happened during Ayade’s regime rather than torment the young man the way they are doing to the extent that he slid into a coma. What they are doing is unacceptable.
“That is not what the law said. In all circumstances, we must always act according to what the law says should be done.
“Our law presumes any suspect to be innocent until the court pronounces his guilt.
“It pre-supposes that a suspect should be treated with the highest level of decency and respect because sometimes you may eventually find out that the suspect is innocent,”Ukweni said.
While not wanting to comment on what is before the court, on the basis of subjudice.
“This in particular, is when I got to find out that he was arrested in his home town that he brought army people to intimidate people in the farm, and I went to find out.
“I found that was wrong, he was taken to the army station at Edor Barracks at Ikom local government of Cross River State”. Ukweni stated.
The legal practitioner attributed the torment faced by Ayade’s former aide to the allocation of cocoa plots made by the past administration at the government Cocoa Estate, where some officials of Otu’s administration are refusing to honour the agreement Ayade government entered into with cocoa allottees.
“The present administration cannot say whatever agreement the previous administration entered cannot work. Government is a continuum.
“Those agreements were done before the state’s attorney-general, with receipts from the government, paid into government revenue internal revenue accounts, and the present administration is saying it won’t honour the agreement?” Ukweni queried.
In reaction to the allegation, Governor Otu, special adviser on security matters. Maj. Gen. Okoi Obono (rtd) and secretary to state government (SSG) Prof Anthony Owan denied their involvement in Ofuka ‘s travail.
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