Human rights advocate Femi Falana has repudiated the claim by the governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sullivan Chime, that he did not receive a brief from his wife to represent her to secure her release from the illegal detention imposed by her husband, the governor.
“I wish to say, without any fear of contradiction, that I have her instructions in writing to challenge her illegal detention at the Government House, Enugu,” he declared in a statement on Wednesday. “Through the assistance of some of the security personnel in the Government House she has since spoken to me on phone to confirm her instructions. Indeed, Mrs Chime's mother and her personal physician have also been in touch with me urging me to take all appropriate measures to secure her freedom from Governor Chime's illegal confinement.”
Beyond that, Mr. Falana pointed out that contrary to the governor’s diversionary statement, he does not need the instructions of citizens who are illegally detained to demand for their release.
“Without any instructions I am duty bound to file cases in court to secure the enforcement of the fundamental rights of detainees to personal liberty. For the avoidance of doubt, the doctrine of locus standi in the area of human rights has been abolished by the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009 which came into force on December 1, 2009,” he said.
Mr. Falana noted that at the press conference Governor Chime succeeded in confirming the allegation that he has held his wife in illegal custody but attempted to justify the illegality by alleging that his wife has "a medical challenge".
Said the statement: “When Governor Chime was recently medically challenged he was not subjected to solitary confinement in the Government House but flown abroad for adequate medical treatment,” the lawyer said. “But Mr Chime has conspired with his private physicians to sentence his wife to unwarranted mental torture and psychological trauma in a room in the Government House for the past four months. If Mr. Chime's claim is correct that the wife is non compos mentis, when was the Enugu Government House converted to a psychiatric hospital?
“Having confirmed the allegation that he has willfully infringed the fundamental rights of his wife to personal liberty, dignity of the person and freedom of movement Governor Chime should release his wife from illegal custody [and] be warned not to divert attention from the brutal abuse of the rights of his wife. If he and his doctors are convinced that she is medically challenged they should send her to a hospital for quick recovery!”
Mr. Falana thanked the Director-General of the State Security Service who, he said, has directed the security service personnel attached to the Government House to desist from teaming up with the Governor to hold his wife hostage.
*wow,so placing your spouse under house arrest against their will is indeed another form of domestic violence?
Chime please do the right thing and send your wife for treatment if you think she ismedically challenged,if you are hiding her indoors against her will because you are ashamed,it is so unfair of you. afterall when you had health problems you sought the faces of doctors abroad!
I am sure after the public outcry following his detaining his wife,Clara will indeed be free because everyone is watching now.
Mr. Falana you need to think of your clients interest. You want her let loose so that she can walk the streets naked. Why dont you get your own team of Psychiatrists to evaluate her and determine her mental state. All this grandstanding is because the husband is the Governor.
ReplyDeleteLets do things right please
Who told you she's mentally challenged. My Ex husband and his mum piled me with depression drugs and all sorts of medication when I said I was going to divorce him and go away with the kids. Even when you are not MAD, the drugs mess with your system, give you hallucinations and mood wings. People who see you might actually think you're crazy. Thank God for a reverend father who risked his life and drove me out of the house in the trunk of his car, and the 2 househelps I had that helped to plan it. I would have been dead now. They dissolved my drugs in water nd poured down the sink for a week so I would be sane enough to escape. We were both medical doctors in North America (no exact location) and he was still able to do that so you can imagine. He reported me as a missing person hoping the police would track me down. I called them and said I wasn't missing but didn't want to be contacted or found. They told him I was fine but didn't want to be found and he divorced me and told my kids I abondoned them. I have not seen my kids in 10 years but they know everything and write to me secretly cos I now reside and work in a different country. My last child will be 18 this month and would be finally able to move out of the house. We have all been waiting for him so that they can permanently relocate to my location without my ex husband's permission. His mum is dead too. I will not write everything here but please pray for Clara and pray for me. Don't believe everything you see or hear.
DeleteShut up didn't you see " he and his doctors are convinced that she is medically challenged they should send her to a hospital for quick recovery!”
DeleteOr are you plain blind?
How can she run around naked when she is in a hospital
Stupid comment alert !! If you bothered to read the post , Falana is proposing that she shd be sent to a proper facility for medical treatment , not boarded up in the state house.
DeleteMe thinks that you are one of the Governor's mistresses who is envious of his wife or why else are you hammering on about her walking the streets naked?! Pls sheath your claws, woman!
Amarachukwu shut up.who told u she is mentally ill?even if she is its not proper to confine her in that house. witout communication Iir visitors.the governor's mistresses should jubilate.maybe you are one of them.idiot.dats how they will confine u too.silly.
DeleteChime is obviously hiding something.
ReplyDeleteAbi o...u dnt want to ridicule her, y not send her abroad for proper treatment!. There's def more to this
DeleteIn falana's mind, its okay for the Governor to send his wife to the Looney Bin?
ReplyDeleteIn the United states, Lincolns wife, Mary Todd Lincoln was insane. It is a well known fact that she did not make public appearances because she was confined in the white house.
Odeh be comparing Nig with other countries. Seems like you dnt know the history of what happens to any 1st lady in Enugu. Just shut your hole. Cuz dahz not ur sis
DeleteSeems you have an axe yo grind with this woman !! Tell us why you are against her getting help otherwise shut it !!
DeleteIn regardless of wat ppl tink or say abt falana, i bliv hm ds tym arnd. Dias smtin fishy goin on in dat govt house. Y wud she say 'the gov n her doc can speak on her behalf'. Luks lyk she ws threatnd or smtin bfor dat press conference. I feel for her, n pls falana continue wt de gud wrks til she secures her freedom wch is a fundamental right!.
ReplyDeleteDomestic violence/abuse takes many forms. emotional, mental, verbal, physical...
ReplyDeleteLocking a woman indoors, cutting her off from society and family and friends, that's some mental/emotional thing right htere. we are social creatures and cutting us off from other human contact is cruel.
Hummm na wa ooh pls Ffk try as possible to help dis lady..
ReplyDeletemake them confine her till she is well o, next thing now b4 u know, she go carry gun kill people and then they will start regretinh. if is has mental issues, there re pysciatric hospitals et al even abroad. ha follow d rit procedures n may God heal her in Jesus name! Amen.
ReplyDeleteGo back to school!
Deleteits ridiculuos how people behave and how they think they know it all.I think the whole truth is not out yet.
ReplyDeleteFFK?
ReplyDelete@jennifer alozie u level of iq is something we shld be be worried about,knew something was fishy so disappointed at chime and he's cohort if he indeed willfully infringed the fundamental rights of his wife to personal liberty, dignity of person and freedom of movement,he shld be dealt with,seriouly waiting for 2015,to vote this scumbags out
ReplyDeleteWhich kind wahala be this? Mr Falana, please leave igbo people alone oh before they start hurling insults at Yoruba people again! Falana gbo ti e!
ReplyDeleteAre u ok?
DeleteI worry for ur people
Are u normal?
Deletehow are we sure she is truly INSANE? it is their word against hers now!!!!!
ReplyDeleteLet him send her abroad if he claims he wants to hel her
ReplyDelete@ anon November 7, 2013 at 4:21 PM everyone isn't a tribalist like you.
ReplyDeleteIt is so sad how people are so quick to judge. Lets be honest for once if you were in the governor's shoes would you send your wife to the hospital especially when you know or believe you can give her the best and protect her from public ridicule. If you have ever had a close relation that is/was mentally imbalanced you would appreciate how far you would go to protect that person. However, if he sent her to the hospital the same people would come here and talk abt how wicked he is, filling our ears of how he dumped her there to continue his philandering. That said, Chime is a kind man and I say this authoritatively.
ReplyDeleteShut up forever.
DeleteOf course i believe you dear Falana, the governor is hiding something.
ReplyDelete'Locus standi, 'non compus mentis'. Those words just got me wishing I went to school.
ReplyDeleteGoogle is your best friend
DeleteI won't b surprised if dey don put her for no fly lst.
ReplyDeleteNo fly list? LMFAO
DeleteFalana you just like attention! The exchange of word btw Clara and he her hubby on who should speak on her behalf clearly shows how mentally unstable she is! Depression also made her add weight. Even though he is d governor, these r human beings like falanma n wife n I and my hubby. If Falana's wife is ill, I bet u he'll do d same so that people won't know.being Mindful of the stigma attached to persons with such ailments when they get well. If they laugh too hard or cry @ all. People will say d illness has come back! "Nekwa na d ala ebidogokwa ozo! Sully jisie ike
ReplyDeleteOh wow what a heart breaking story! I hope it ends well for you
ReplyDeleteSee? For those of you saying she isn't imprisoned. She is imprisoned and making appearances under duress. If she is ill, let independent doctors treat her. What's all that about confisticating her phones and laptop?
ReplyDeleteCancer and Mental illness are not the same. A cancer patient needs to be in a hospital for surgery and things. A mental patient can stay at home to receive treatment.
ReplyDeleteDoes Mrs Chime's mother have the strenght, money and other requirements to deal with the illness. Except there are evidences of maltreatment, Clara is better off getting treatment in her husband's house.
What is it with enugu state why are their first ladies always mentally challenged the same thing happened to chimaroke's wife some thing is wrong somewhere
ReplyDeleteWow, Anon #16. Praying for you. May the Lord be your strength, peace and protection. And may He reunite you with your children in joy. *hugs
ReplyDeleteThanks so much. May God shelter you and yours.
DeleteDasy ill tell the truth
ReplyDeleteWho dosent know sullivan in enugu?all the little girls and their brand new picanto cars . Clara fought to no avail.i wish she sought advise from sullivan's first wife before marrying him.if ur in clara's shoes.,u will be totally insane from emotional torture and embarrassment. I pray for her.let God intervene.
ReplyDeleteThe woman is oviously Mentally challenged and her husband is oviously protecting her frm redicule, all those who want her out like stella oviously lookin 4 Amebo
ReplyDeleteI think Mr falana should go and mind his business and leave the chime's alone.Curse me out if you like but the truth must be told you.Anyone who has been with a mentally unstable family member must know that sending them out to an institution or hospital is usually the last call.And u can't hold their words or actions against him.Our girlfriend Has some challanges recently.She denied her mother and her best friend in public shouting that she did not know them or where they are taking her to.People called police and called them kidnappers,their saviour was it was happening in their neighbour hood.To a mentally unstable patient everybody is a suspect.Falana go and mind your businnes.Leave them alone.Chime may be a womaniser but he is a good man,The best Enugu state governor.All u people calling him out,God forbid u experience what he is experiencing.its not an esay cross to bear.My prayers for Clara is that the almighty God will heal you.Guys pray for them,don't judge them,they have a ticking time bomb in their hand
ReplyDeleteWhen I read comments from Nigerian on blogs, I could see how wicked many of our generation will be, we were complaining about General abacha, Samuel doe of Liberia , Idi Amin of Uganda , so many of you are more devilish
ReplyDeleteDo you mean if any of your mother go mad, you will allow your father or family to be going up and down to keep disgracing the family.. These politicians are human beings like us... You people just open your mouth anyhow, without showing empathy to other people passing through challenges.
It's bad enough for the man to have a wife passing through this challenges, he was humble enough to address the press and explain what is going on, but you people are still raining insults on him. What if he didn't care about what everyone was saying, and just ignored everyone, you all will believe the story that he has locked his wife up
Please before you open your dirty mouth to insult the chime family, imagine is your mother of sister that has medically challenges, will you allow them to be ridicule by people.. When your answer is Yes... Then shut your mouth
Sullivan pls release this woman. For the people saying that holding her indoors is the best thing for her, I wish you same. Who doesn't know that Sullivan sleeps with all his SAs that are female & that the first lady office was closed because Clara fought one of them. She should be treated in a hospital & returned home when she's fine. A family member of mine that is mentally challenged goes about his life by himself. He lives in his own house by himself, we only intervene occassionally when he fails to take his meds & retrogresses. We quickly confiscate him to psychiatric hospital until he is back to his senses. He is a beast to be holding the woman under lock & key because she's mentally challenged.
ReplyDeletebut when he was mentally unstable he was flown abroad,so why not his wife?
ReplyDeleteHe closed the office of the first lady because he wants to stop all funds going to her. he wants her totally dependent on him which traps her. If she had some money from that office she'd be long gone. Isn't it the Nwobodo woman she fought?
ReplyDelete