Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) has been re-arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) shortly after pefecting the bail conditions imposed on him by a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
His lawyer and human rights activist, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), who disclosed this to journalists lamented that he had been kept in horrific detention in blatant defiance of court’s clear and mandatory order for his release on bail.
He spoke after he was conferred with the highest honour award of “Pan African Luminary General” by the Confederation of Governance Assessment Institute, in recognition of his contributions as the defender of the common man.
His induction into the hall of fame by the Pan African Heroes Foundation according to the organizers was also in recognition of his numerous contributions in the area of human rights.
Ozekhome who went down the memory lane in the struggle against military regimes characterized by dictatorial policies and leadership, lamented how the country is still being run by leaders who behave like overlords.
The activist lawyer scored the present administration low in the areas of human rights protection, security of lives and property, economy, provision of social infrastructure, rule of law and obedience to court orders.
He noted that the rights of the citizens are being trampled with on a daily basis while corruption indices continue to soar higher on the ladder.
“We have today a government that carries on as if they are overlords. They don’t give us security, hospitals, roads to pass through and continue to put us in deeper corruption after corruption. They continue to fight the opposition and don’t tolerate pluraity of opinion in the name of national security which is for the protection of those in power.”
Speaking on the plight of Adoke, Ozekhome who narrated his ordeals in the hands of EFCC stated that “after fulfilling his bail conditions, and upon presenting the release order of the court duly signed by his lordship to the EFCC, another part of stories commenced. It was either that one official or the other, was not available to authorize the release. And, so Adoke continues to languish in illegal detention.
“On 27th January, 2020, the EFCC finally decided to arraign Adoke. On the 30th day of January, 2020, after argument on the bail application on 28th January, 2020, the Hon. Justice Abubakar Idris Kutigi, of the FCT High Court, Gwagwalada, finally granted our client bail and imposed several bail conditions which were duly met and perfected by our client the same day.
“It is disheartening that despite meeting the bail conditions imposed by the court, since the 30th of January, 2020, the EFCC is still holding our client in permanent custody, till date. This has further jeopardized his very poor and fragile health. The court had actually taken Adoke’s ill health into consideration in making the order for his release, with certain bail conditions. 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, which has, by this singular act, now constituted itself into an institution that acts above courts of law. It now deploys unbridled powers to choose and/or decide (as in this particular case), whether or not to obey valid and extant orders made by courts of competent jurisdiction. Such a situation, to say the least, is clearly unhealthy for our constitutional democracy, and constitutes an unnecessary invitation to chaos and anarchy.
“As at today, 6th February, 2020 (and still counting), over seven clear days after the court granted Adoke bail, the EFCC continues to detain him.
“In compliance with the enrolled and certified order of the court dated 30th January, 2020, for Adoke’s release, he had duly and fully complied with all the bail conditions imposed on him by the court.
“Notwithstanding our client’s fulfilment of his bail conditions, he has been kept by the respondent in horrific detention, in blatant defiance of the court’s clear and mandatory order for his release on bail. His health condition is fast deteriorating on a daily basis.
“After several unfilled promises for his release, our client was finally taken to the Registrar of the FCT High Court, Gwagwalada, ostensibly in purported compliance with the court’s production warrant, even though the court’s order for his release was quite clear and unambiguous.
“On being brought to the court by the EFCC operatives, Adoke (who by now had been joined by his legal team), was simply informed by the said operatives that he was being rearrested on purported fresh amended charges allegedly filed against him before the Federal High Court.
“There and then, Adoke was again whisked away by the EFCC operatives in the presence of his lawyers, without being allowed one single minute of freedom.
“In all these, no warrant of arrest or any fresh order for our client’s arrest or detention was ever served him, or produced to his legal team. The team watched helplessly as Lady Justice was being mangled and trampled upon.
“In addition to his spinal cord and back pains, Adoke is now critically ill, with the fresh addition of typhoid, malaria, sore throat and blistered lips, and with his sight gradually failing him. This has forced the EFCC to hurriedly transfer him to the Federal Medical Centre, Airport Road, Abuja.
“If a former hnourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice could be so shabbily ill-treated with such brazen disrespect to his humanity and dignity for his person, over alleged infractions, the infractions of which a competent court of law (coran, Justice Binta Nyako), had clearly exonerated him in a land mark decision, dated 13th April, 2018, and also, a further exoneration, by the Present Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, in a legal opinion dated 20th September, 2017, then one shudders about the fate of the proverbial “common man” and “common woman”.
We humbly appeal most earnestly, to the EFCC, to respect a valid court order, by releasing Mr Bello Adoke, SAN, forthwith, from his illegal, unlawful wrongful, and unconstitutional detention. By arraigning Adoke before a court of law, it has undertaken to abide by the court’s decisions. We humbly appeal to this government to help us build strong and enduring institutions; not strong men or women.”
Speaking earlier, the organizers of the award and representatives of Confederation of Governance Assessment Institute (CGAI), Kerzmer Rina Yakuel (President of Rectitude International Mission, Mr. Isaac Rocksom and Adamu Baba Ramson of Pan African Heroes Foundation said the award which is the highest honour on an individual was to celebrate Ozekhome’s contributions to the justice system and defender of common man.
They stated that after monitoring him for a period of over two years, he was chosen as a person whose pedigree has affected the lives of Africans positively.