Justice Samira Bature of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has heard in an open court how the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mohammed Babandoko, was persecuting a property developer, Mr Cecil Osakwe, over the latter’s property.
According to Osakwe, the DPP has filed five different charges against him at different courts.
The developer and others were to be arraigned over alleged illegal eviction of Asabe Waziri, a staff of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), from his property located at No. 1 Mekong Close, Maitama, Abuja.
During the proceedings of the court on Wednesday, one of the defendants, Victor Giwa, was not in court as he was said to be bereaved and could not make it to the court.
Also, Counsel to Osakwe, Chinese Odiru, announced his withdrawal from the case.
He said he has the instruction from his principal to withdraw from the matter.
At that point, Justice Bature asked Osakwe to respond to what his Counsel who just announced his withdrwal said.
Osakwe, in his response, told the court that he was being persecuted by the DPP.
According to him, “My lord, I am a lawyer, I was called to Nigerian Bar in 1991, I worked with one of the best law firms in Nigeria, the law firm of late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, I know when a person is being persecuted rather than being prosecuted.
“The DPP has been working with Asabe Waziri to persecute me. Five different charges have been filed against me and my lawyer in different courts.
“The Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has called for a review of this case but the file was not released.”
The Counsel who appeared in the matter on behalf of the DPP, Matthew Onah, stood up to object to the submission of Osakwe.
According to him, it cannot be true that the DPP was persecuting the defendant.
At that point, Justice Bature called parties to order and told them to calm down, assuring that all sides will be heard in the matter after arraignment took place.
However, the arraignment could not go on on Wednesday due to the absence of Giwa and a policeman in court who are defendnats in the matter.
Justice Bature, therefore, fixed the case for November 4, 2025, for arrangement.
