• NBA WADES INTO DEBACLE

The Lagos State Chief Magistrate who was reportedly arrested and incarcerated by a senior police officer has given a blow-by-blow account of her face-off with the top cop.

In a voice note obtained by CITY LAWYER, the judicial officer, Mrs. S. K. Matepo who is the Chief Magistrate at Court 1, Mushin debunked news reports that she was arrested and detained while on a routine oversight visit to a police cell in Mushin.

It is recalled that several news outlets (not CITY LAWYER) had yesterday reported that the Area Commander of Area D Police Command, Lagos, ACP Aliko Dankoli had last Monday ordered the arrest and detention of the Chief Magistrate who, in line with the provsions of the Adminsitration of criminal Justice Act, went to the command to see the interview detainees. The reports had alleged that ACP Dankoli was angry because the Chief Magistrate did not seek his permission before speaking with the suspects.

This led several lawyers including the Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama SAN-led Nigerian Bar Association Security Agecnies Realtions Committee (NBA-SARC) to wade into the debacle, even as the Lagos State Police Command debunked the reports.

But in the voice note reviewed by CITY LAWYER, Chief Magistrate Matepo stated that while she had a heated argument with the top police officer, it did not degenerate to her arrest or detention. She also added that not only did she complete her assignment by interviewing the suspects, the senior police officer was reprimanded while a formal apology from him is pending.

The full transcript of the recording by CITY LAWYER is below:

“Good afternoon, my colleagues, Magistrates of Lagos State.

“Thank you everybody for the calls and love. This is Mrs. Matepo, the concerned magistrate, Chief Magistrate Court 1 Mushin.

“I just want everybody to know that, yes, something happened but not as bad as it was narrated. I went on the police visit to Mushin and the Area Commander insisted that I must take his approval or permission before I interrogate the suspects in the cell.

“I explained to him that, having seen his senior officers who led me to the cell, I don’t think I need to see him first. I might come back to him after interrogating the suspects – if need be.

But he kept on and insisted that it shouldn’t have gone that way. But I put it to him that that is the way I do my job – I need not visit him in his office. I stood my ground and insisted that I must complete my job and his officers might report to him after I might have finished, or if there is any need for me to see him, that is when I will see him, and that I’m not supposed to see him first.

“Though he (got) agitated and shouted; Anyway, I put it to him. And immediately the second day, I came to the High Court to report him to Mr. Fadeyi who called him and put him to order. He warned him and told him that he would make arrangement for him to apologize.

“So, that was the situation before all this news that went viral this morning (yesterday) about this situation. There was no arrest or detention. Mrs. Matepo is fine and everything is in order. I think the High Court is taking proper step on the issue. Thank you very much.”

STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN, NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION – SECURITY AGENCIES RELATIONS COMMITTEE (NBA-SARC), CHIEF JOE-KYARI GADZAMA OFR, MFR, SAN, ON THE UNLAWFUL ARREST AND DETENTION OF A MAGISTRATE BY THE AREA D POLICE HEADQUARTERS IN MUSHIN LAGOS STATE

1. It has come to the notice of the NBA-SARC via a series of online publications by media outlets, accessed today, Thursday, June 2, 2022, that a magistrate, whose name was withheld, had on Monday, May 30, 2022, during a routine check of suspects in cells at the Area D Police Headquarters, Mushin, Lagos State, been arrested and detained on the orders of the Area Commander, ACP Dankoli over the allegations that the Magistrate went to check suspects detained in the Command’s cell without his permission.

2. Indeed, it is preposterous to think that a Magistrate will be humiliated and even detained for carrying out one of the statutory responsibilities of her office as obligated by the Lagos State Judiciary and the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State.

3. In line with the NBA-SARC’s mandate, our Committee is presently making urgent efforts at verifying the facts and circumstances surrounding the instant report especially as it relates to the arrest and detention of the magistrate in question. This is to inform further steps, actions and/or decisions made from the standpoint of knowledge and information.

4. In the interim, we call for calm from the legal community and further reassure that no stone will be left unturned in ensuring the justice of this instant case and that whoever is found wanting faces the music in the present investigative efforts by the NBA-SARC. We continue to condemn, unreservedly, all forms of unlawful arrest and detention and the instant case, if verified, is no different. We are making efforts to reach the said Magistrate, her aides and eyewitnesses, if any, to ascertain the extent, and/or nature of confrontation with the Police on that the said day.

5. We remain ever committed to the safety and welfare of all members of the Nigerian Bar Association and its me.

6. I remain yours in this lofty struggle.

Signed: Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama, OFR, MFR SAN (Chairman, NBA–SARC)

RE: HOW AREA COMMANDER LOCKED UP LAGOS MAGISTRATE INSIDE CELL AT AREA D COMMAND

The Lagos State Police Command is aware of a June 02, 2022 news story by one Michael Akintola of PM Express titled ‘How Area Commander Locked Up Lagos Magistrate Inside Cell at Area D Command.’

The Command wishes to state clearly that the story is nothing but fiction. At no time did the Area Commander detain or attempt to detain the magistrate, who was at the Area Command for Cell Inspection exercise. The Police will never engage in such disrespect to the Judiciary.

The writer referring to a serving magistrate as ‘the innocent woman’ says a lot about his objectivity/bias and contrived efforts at sensationalism. Also, it is suspicious that the writer could not provide the name of the magistrate, who is a public officer. It is equally suspicious that the writer made no attempt to contact the judiciary to verify the purported detention.

The Lagos State Police Command did the needful and contacted the judiciary. The Lagos State Judiciary confirmed that there was no such thing and neither was the magistrate prevented from carrying out her Cell Inspection exercise. We hereby state it unequivocally that any attempt to cause disaffection between the Police and the Judiciary will be fiercely resisted. We remain worthy partners in the justice sector.

The Lagos State Police Command enjoins Lagosians to disregard the story as officers and men under the stewardship of CP Abiodun Alabi, fdc will continue to be professional and uphold the rule of law at all times.

SP BENJAMIN HUNDEYIN, anipr, mipra
Police Public Relations Officer,
Lagos State Command,
Ikeja-Lagos.

June 02, 2022.

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