DETAINED LAWYER WRITES NBA, DEMANDS WRITTEN APOLOGY FROM POLICE CHIEF

Hapless senior lawyer who was detained by a senior police officer for ‘coming late to an appointment’ has demanded a written apology from the police chief.

CITY LAWYER had reported that under-fire Commissioner of Police in-charge of Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) Annex, Lagos, Mr. Salisu Gyadi Gyadi had apologized to Odukale for his detention alongside his client.

But in a letter Odukale made available to CITY LAWYER addressed to Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama SAN, Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association Security Agencies Relations Committee (NBA-SARC), Odukale stated that only a written apology will fully assuage his hurt.

While thanking the committee “for its timely intervention and solid support over this unfortunate incident within hours of receiving the complaint,” Odukale noted that “The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Salisu GyadiGyadi has personally reached out and apologized to me. I accept this gesture in this spirit of peace and reconciliation.”

In the letter dated March 16, 2022 and titled “RE: MY ILLEGAL DETENTION,” Odukale warned that “to avert a recurrence and for the protection of lawyers, I would also like a written apology from the Commissioner of Police to me, my client and all lawyers and the Association. Injury to one is injury to all.”

CITY LAWYER recalls that Odukale was detained on the orders of Gyadi for allegedly coming late to a scheduled meeting to resolve a charge of “threat to life” arising from a matrimonial dispute.

The 57-year-old senior lawyer, who was admitted to the Bar 31 years ago, stated that following former DIG Taiwo Lakanu’s intervention, Gyadi had called him severally to apologize for the debacle, saying that he was “surprised and worried when I heard about your detention by my officers.”

The police chief stated that he came to grip with the full picture of the matter during a “marathon party interview,” adding that “our main aim is to see that the parties settled.” He expressed a desire to meet with the senior lawyer “one on one” to “dialogue” with him and personally apologize over the debacle.

Odukale had thanked CITY LAWYER for putting a spotlight on his plight, saying that many lawyers and non-lawyers had called to sympathize with him. “I am happy that as a result of the report, NBA finally rose to the occasion,” said Odukale.

Odukale had told CITY LAWYER that his ordeal started when he accompanied his client to a meeting with Gyadi, adding that immediately the duo entered the meeting room, Gyadi said he would “personally sign” their detention order for coming late to the meeting.

He said that the matter revolved around a domestic violence complaint incidented by his client at the Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT), adding that the team referred the matter to the Adeniji Adele Police Station. He stated that a police team from the station visited the suspect, and that the suspect turned around to levy a charge that he and his client brought “thugs” to threaten him. Odukale added that “threat to life” is not an offence known to Nigeria’s jurisprudence.

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DETENTION: POLICE CHIEF BEGS LAWYER, GADZAMA C’TE INTERVENES

Under-fire Commissioner of Police in-charge of Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) Annex, Lagos, Mr. Salisu Gyadi Gyadi has apologized to senior lawyer, Mr. Ayodeji Odukale for his detention alongside his client.

CITY LAWYER had yesterday reported that Odukale was detained on the orders of Gyadi for allegedly coming late to a scheduled meeting to resolve a charge of “threat to life” arising from a matrimonial dispute.

Following the CITY LAWYER report, the Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama SAN-led Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Security Agencies Relations Committee (NBA-SARC) has waded into the matter.

Odukale told CITY LAWYER that Gadzama had telephoned him and asked him to write formally to the committee stating his grievances and demands, adding that the NBA-SARC also dispatched respected former Deputy Inspector General of Police Taiwo Lakanu to investigate the matter.

The senior lawyer, who was admitted to the Bar 31 years ago, stated that following Lakanu’s intervention, Gyadi had called him severally to apologize for the debacle, saying that he was “surprised and worried when I heard about your detention by my officers.”

The police chief stated that he came to grip with the full picture of the matter during a “marathon party interview,” adding that “our main aim is to see that the parties settled.” He expressed a desire to meet with the senior lawyer “one on one” to “dialogue” with him and personally apologize over the debacle.

Odukale thanked CITY LAWYER for putting a spotlight on his plight, saying that many lawyers and non-lawyers had called to sympathize with him. “I am happy that as a result of the report, NBA finally rose to the occasion,” said Odukale.

He stated that while he had acknowledged Gyadi’s remorseful posture, he was in the process of writing formally to NBA “to ensure that the apology is formalized and secure assurances that no lawyer or citizen for that matter will suffer the same fate that befell me and my client.”

Odukale had told CITY LAWYER that his ordeal started when he accompanied his client to a meeting with Gyadi, adding that immediately the duo entered the meeting room, Gyadi said he would “personally sign” their detention order for coming late to the meeting.

In a post he made on a lawyers’ platform, the senior lawyer said: “Good evening colleagues, I want to bring an unfortunate incident to our attention especially as there is a meeting tomorrow (today). I went for a meeting with a victim of domestic violence to meet with the commissioner of Police Force Intelligence Bureau, Kam Salem building, Obalende on Wednesday. The commissioner said we came late for the meeting and ordered that we be detained at Alagbon. Because you normally drop your phone before entering, l left my phone in the car. As a result, I could not communicate with the outside world. Somehow, I managed to get information across to my wife who tweeted NBA Lagos and NBA National. Unfortunately, to the best of my knowledge, till today there has been no response from the NBA. It seems the NBA cares little about members in distress and this arbitrary use of power. What if we had a medical situation warranting administration of medicine every hour? So NBA would now rush and come and pay condolence visit?”

He said that the matter revolved around a domestic violence complaint incidented by his client at the Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT), adding that the team referred the matter to the Adeniji Adele Police Station. He stated that a police team from the station visited the suspect, and that the suspect turned around to levy a charge that he and his client brought “thugs” to threaten him. Odukale added that “threat to life” is not an offence known to Nigeria’s jurisprudence.

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ENUGU MAGISTRACY SAGA: ‘MY STORY,’ BY ‘REMANDED’ LAWYER

MR. FIDELIS OKEKE is the lawyer in the eye of the storm. He was reportedly remanded by His Worship, Ezeobi Ngozi Anidi (Mrs.), a Chief Magistrate sitting at Agbogugu Magistrates Court in Enugu State, in lieu of his client. In this no-holds-barred interview with CITY LAWYER, he chronicles the eventful proceedings that have caught the attention of the nation’s legal community

Please briefly introduce yourself
I’m Okeke Chinweze Fidelis Esq., also known as F. C. Okeke Esq. I am a legal practitioner of No. 33 Ogui Road, Enugu. I wish to state my ugly experience at the Magistrate Court, Agbogugu on 16th March, 2021 where I was detained by the magistrate for inexplicable reasons.

We understand you were remanded by a magistrate due to the absence of your client. How true is this?
On 15th March, 2021, the Registrar of the Court by name Austin called me and informed me that the Magistrate told him to fix Charge No. CMA/12C/2017 for 16th March, 2021.

Immediately, I called my client who informed me that he was in Lagos. My client pleaded that I should represent him. On 16th March, 2021, the matter was called and both the Prosecutor and myself announced our appearances. I told the Learned Magistrate that the Registrar just informed me about the matter the previous day, that I called my client immediately but he was not around.

The Prosecutor did not object. As we were about to take date, the Learned Magistrate said, ‘Oh, I remember this case! This is the case I made an order and the accused is disobeying.’ The Magistrate started writing, after which she read what she wrote.
In her Ruling, she read that “the Court should be acknowledged and now justice and not a play house. In the regard the Counsel for the accused will remain in Police custody upon the production of his client.”

However, lawyers like Onwe Vincent Esq. (0803772xxxx), Gladys Ani and C. C. Agu (0803435xxxx) were in court, including the Prosecutor, Innocent Egbuaba (ASP).

The trending order has been cited as fake. How true is this?
Those who regard the order in circulation as fake are enemies of justice. On 16th March the order was made. I applied for the Record of Proceedings. If I go to MTN, I can get (call record) evidence that from that 16th March, 2021 the Registrar continued delaying to issue me the record and the ruling until 25th March, 2021.

I paid for the record of proceedings and a receipt was issued to me in regards to that. I have the receipt as evidence that I processed the Proceedings and the Ruling. Whatever that makes any person(s) to classify a genuine Order of Court as fake is strange to me. The person(s) can produce another one to contradict the one I have.
Again, those who regard the Order as fake ought to have verified if the signature in the Proceedings is that of a staff of Magistrate Court Agbogugu designated to sign such processes. I deem the allegation that the Order is “FAKE ” as laughable.

Tell us briefly about the facts of the case
The fact is that the Complainant is the step-sister of the accused (my client). The Complainant reported at Agbogugu Police that the accused person demolished her (complainant’s) father’s house and built a Duplex. The complainant claimed that her property inside was valued about N7 million. The accused was charged to court. Upon the accused’s arraignment, he was granted bail and the condition fulfilled by the accused person’s surety (not myself). Subsequently, trial commenced. PW1 testified and was cross examined.

On the day the matter was adjourned for PW2 to testify, the Prosecutor made an application for the accused person to give the Complainant one room in his (accused) house. The application was granted. Dissatisfied with the Order, the accused filed an action for judicial review, challenging the Order for Possession made by the Magistrate in a criminal matter.

The High Court, Awgu delivered Judgment against the accused person. Dissatisfied again, the accused filed a Notice of Appeal and Stay of Execution. The Stay of Execution is still pending at the High Court, Awgu in Suit No. HAW/2019.

On 8th December, 2020 the Magistrate – without any application before her – remanded the accused for contempt of court. Dissatisfied, the accused approached High Court, Awgu and was granted bail.

At Awgu High Court, the accused applied for the Order to be quashed based on INEC and Ejike Oguebego where the Supreme Court (coram Nweze JSC) held that where a defendant in a cause challenges the validity of an Order directed against him, either by way of an appeal or other application, he cannot be proceeded against for contempt of that order unless and until the issue of its legality is settled. Nweze JSC further held that for contempt exfacia curiae, a charge and plea are necessary and the accused is entitled to fair hearing.

Sadly, as if the Learned Magistrate had the intention to remand the defendant’s Counsel, at the bottom of the Order I secured, surprisingly the Magistrate wrote: “defendant council (sic) is to be put in Oji custody until he complies.”

In fact, one of the Judges at High Court, Awgu saw the order and started laughing and jokingly asked, ‘Counsel, why are you here instead of Oji Prison.’ Other lawyers started laughing.
The application the accused made was first ex parte and for stay of all actions; this was granted. After service of the processes, including hearing notice, the respondents didn’t oppose; in short, the lawyer to the Complainant at the lower court said that he was not opposed to the application. The High Court Awgu presided over by His Lordship N. Orji delivered judgment in favour of the accused on 25/3/21.

In the judgment, the remand of the accused without any contempt proceedings was quashed and the charge was transferred to Awgu Magistrates’ Court. The High Court Registrar said that the CTC of the Judgment will be ready this week.

Is it true that the remand order was discharged by the magistrate?
The lawyers I mentioned earlier pleaded for the Magistrate to discharge the Order but she refused initially. However, when the Magistrate finished all her matters, the lawyers continued begging until she read again that the Order was discharged. One of the lawyers had pleaded that instead of detaining a lawyer, a Bench Warrant be issued against the accused. The Magistrate then issued a Bench Warrant against the accused.

Surprisingly, when I got the Order from the Registrar, there was no discharge or Warrant of Arrest Order contained therein. Immediately, I asked the Registrar of the Court if that was the only thing on record and he said yes. I tried to find if he omitted some pages but he was firm that there was nothing more on the record of the Court for that day.

We understand the accused had a contempt order hanging on his head which had not been discharged. Could that be a reason the court was aggravated by his absence?
It is very interesting to point out that there is no contempt proceeding/charge against the accused person. The accused was always in court except that day that I was given a short notice. I immediately called the accused but he told me that he was not in town.

Could your attitude to the court have compelled the remand order on you?
I had never exhibited any unusual conduct in the Court, including the day the incident occurred. Ask lawyers that are always in the court. I had never behaved in any way that could have led to such incident. I never behaved in any reprehensible manner. My conducts have been that of a diligent lawyer.

We understand the order was promptly discharged by the magistrate, and that you suffered no hardship ultimately. Is this correct?
I maintain that I am still surprised that the Learned Magistrate purportedly feigned to have discharged the Order when she was about to rise because when she made the Order, lawyers in the court pleaded for her to discharge the Order but she refused. I had no option than to sit in the court hall because I was aware that an Order was made against me. When she finished all matters in the cause list, lawyers continued begging the Learned Magistrate; then she purportedly read that the Order was discharged and I was able to leave the court.

What is in circulation was the document the Registrar issued to me and nothing less or more. The document is genuine and I paid for it. In fact, the Order made by the Learned Magistrate is worse than the one in issue. I am also ready to produce all the documents I mentioned in connection with this case.

We understand that the matter has been transferred to another court. How does that make you feel?
From all indications, even the High Court Awgu saw reasons to transfer the matter; but all in all, I suffered because after the Order, I would have gone because I was supposed to go for check-up at the 82 Division Hospital due to my illness but I stayed until the court rose and read that I was discharged.

Given that the remand order was discharged by the court and that the matter is no longer before the magistrate, some may accuse you of seeking cheap publicity or sensationalizing the issue. What is your reaction to that?
Despite that the discharge order is not contained in paper circulating, I was purportedly discharged in the presence of the lawyers that pleaded. If I wasn’t discharged, will it be said that I disobeyed the Court or why did the police in Court not arrest me? Even the Complainant whom the Prosecutor said was in Lagos later appeared and was jubilating. I feel that some information can on interrogation come from the Complainant.

Before the paper even started circulating, I told many lawyers about my ugly experience in the court and how I was remanded. Also on the 25th of March, 2021, I informed my Lord N. Orji about how I was detained by the Learned Magistrate. On the same day, I applied for CTC of the proceedings, yet till date the Registrar has been telling me to come today, come tomorrow; though that can’t be a much barrier to me. I posted this issue in my ESUT LAW CLASS 05 WhatsApp group on 24/3/21 while we were discussing about the remand of an Abuja lawyer by the group.

The trending ruling does not show you were really discharged. Do you plan to take steps to remedy this?
As it stands now, it is obvious that the Order has not been discharged. My liberty is at stake because once it is an Order of a court, it is subsisting until discharged.

 

 

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ALLEGED REMAND ORDER: IN DEFENCE OF ENUGU MAGISTRATE, BY LAWYER

Following a trending ruling of an Agbogugu Magistrates Court presided over by His Worship, Ezeobi Ngozi Anidi (Mrs) which allegedly ordered a remand of one F. C. Okeke Esq, counsel for the accused person, MARY BASSEY GODWIN, ESQ. x-rays the proceedings and concludes that the entire saga is designed to smear the hard working jurist, adding that no lawyer was remanded in custody or mistreated

THE TRUE FACTS OF THE FABRICATED ORDER TO ARREST A LAWYER PURPORTEDLY ISSUED BY AN ENUGU MAGISTRATE CIRCULATING (IN) THE SOCIAL MEDIA

The complainant who claimed to be an only child of her parents, told the court on giving evidence that her father made her promise not to forfiet (sic) her father’s name in order to secure the family name.

Upon the death of her father, her mother married a woman into the family to bear children. The accused is said to be the produce of the said marriage.

Upon hearing, the complainant told the court she received a call from Lagos that her step-brother had demolished the house she built and has demolished her father’s house. She rushed down to the east and saw it was true. She went to the police station and made a formal complaint and the matter was brought to court.

Upon the commencement of proceedings, the complainant prayed the court that she was stranded and had no place to sleep each time she came to the village praying the court to allow her have a room in her father’s house pending the determination of the suit that her brother would not allow her into her father’s house any more.

The court gave a ruling ordering the brother to open a room for the sister pending the determination of the suit.
The court’s ruling was based on the Supreme Court case of Ukeje v Ukeje, the judgement of Honourable Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour (which now grants women from the Eastern part of Nigeria a right to inheritance).

The accused’s counsel appealed the ruling to the High Court Agwu, Enugu State. The High court upheld the judgement of the lower court and sent the case back to the magistrate court.

The magistrate then gave an order for the accused to make a room available to the complainant. In December 2020, the matter came up again before the magistrate. The court was informed that the accused had not carried out the order of court.

The magistrate again instructed the accused to carry out the order of the court or face a contempt charge. Yet again, the Accused did not carry out the order of the court. The accused told the court he would not give up a room for his sister. The court then ordered for the arrest of the accused who was in contempt of court for disobeying the order of court.

The accused was remanded in prison custody. At the next adjourned date, the complainant informed the court that the accused was not in prison custody and had been going about town bragging that his money is speaking and remains untouchable.

The court issued a warrant of arrest repeatedly and was told by both counsel and the prosecutor that they were unable to locate the accused. The complainant at the following hearing informed the court that the Accused was in the village.

On the 16th of March the matter came up .The court yet again asked if the accused has been seen, the counsel for the accused said no. The court yet again asked the counsel for the accused if he was aware that the accused is at large. Counsel for the accused, after a short silence told the court that the accused was sick.

After this revelation, the court addressed the other lawyers in court who immediately rebuked the counsel for the accuses (sic) and asked him to apologise to the court. Counsel for the accused pleaded with the court and undertook that by the next adjourned date, he will work with the police to produce the accused. The magistrate then issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the accused.

After that hearing, the spurious and fabricated document emerged on social media in an attempt to intimidate the court.

Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Muhammad Aliyu and the officiating DPO, Mr. John Igele, have both confirmed that the order to arrest a lawyer circulating on social media is a fabrication. It never existed nor was any lawyer arrested.

Mary Bassey Godwin, Esq.

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