The suspected robbers, who allegedly attacked banks in Ikorodu have told the Federal High Court in Lagos that the confessional statements they made to the police were under duress.
The defendant’s lawyer, Olusegun Akanbi is, therefore, praying the court to order the police to produce them if they were still alive.
He said the suspects “made confessional statements to the members of the press out of duress”.
The lawyer maintained that it was unconstitutional for the police to parade criminal suspects and have them grant press interviews under compulsion.
He said the court should compel the police to produce the four suspects in court because their families were denied access to them.
The accused persons are Agbojule Bright, Promise Abiwa, Monday Omoboye and Monday Ikuesan.
They were paraded on July 6 in connection with the robbery of the Ipakodo branches of First Bank and Zenith Bank in Ikorodu.
Akanbi claimed that the police violated the suspects’ right to remain silent or to avoid answering any questions until after consulting with a lawyer in line with Section 35(2) of the 1999 Constitution.
According to the lawyer, the suspects may not get a fair trial since they have “already suffered prejudice in the eye of the public due to unfair publicity and unprofessional acts of the defendants.”
“The applicants’ counsel were not allowed to see the applicants or even to have a brief interview with them when they visited the defendants on 15th July 2015.
“The applicants’ constitutional rights under Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution are at stake because the defendants have already taken a biased position by denying the applicants’ family or their counsel their right of visiting them in police custody.
“It will be in the interest of justice if the applicants are brought before this honourable court so that the court can ascertain whether the applicants are still alive.
“It will be in the interest of justice if the applicants can be charged by the defendants to court since they have already spent over 24 hours in custody.
“Failure to do this will amount to usurpation of the constitutional powers of the judiciary,” the lawyer argued.
He claimed that the suspects were entitled to N5million damages for what he described as their unlawful detention.
Dailypost report
Stella you nor sleep? go and sleep ooooohhhhh
ReplyDeleteI said it when they paraded those men as the Ikorodu robbery gang.. I suspected it couldn't have been them. Police sha wants Nigerians to think they are working. But not at the expense of innocent people na
DeleteAlright let see how the case will end up. Let the police do their work as required without threat or intimidation.
ReplyDeleteOk, sounds like people are finally knowing and claiming their rights.
ReplyDeleteExactly
DeleteLol...
ReplyDeletena wa o though d lawyer get point there o. Just wish this will teach Nigeria police lesson
ReplyDelete*****EVERYWHERE IS GOOD*****
When I saw the pictures , I knew they were not the main robbers, liars
ReplyDeletegbam!
Deletepolice bunch of animals
Exactly!
DeletePolice and OPC the same useless people.
Them go beat you till you confess wetin the badoo in you no fit even do for nightmare.
Thank u o
DeleteIt could be true, I recall few years ago when I had issues wt some policemen. I was forced to write down what did not happen as statement. From that day I have this strong hatred for policemen/women. Thank God I was released without paying a dime due to my uncle's influence. Naija I hail, una too much.
ReplyDeleteIsn't this rhe same arguement we put forth in almost all criminal cases. After all said and done the best the honorable court will do is go for trial within trial.
ReplyDeleteThe same evidence act provides that so far as a confessional statement is relevant to the fact in issue, the mode/method used in acquiring such should be disregarded. Now with this line of arguement by the prosecution, the defence would lose out at trial within trial.
But come to think of it, na which criminal go confess for naija without being put under duress?
Only in Nigeria .
ReplyDeleteGud
ReplyDeleteI know this will happen. Nigeria police that is what they do. I said it, that woman that was with snake on the ikorodu robber. what happened to her. it is a different story.
ReplyDeleteNija police always bringing wrong people to confess.
It's a good thing people are finally knowing their rights...
ReplyDeletewith NPF anything and everything is possible!!!! countless people have been locked up based on this inadequacies from our men in black
ReplyDeleteFrom day one I have thought that these people were not the main robbers. I observd these based on the testimonies of those who witnessed the robbery. They said a woman was involved mashalling orders, they robbed two banks, they numbered upto 20.
ReplyDeleteNow these suspects denied there was a woman from their press interview. And imagine the police arrested only four of them. And investigation is still ongoing. How long? I smell a political camouflage.
I knew it, stupid nigerian police accusing wrong people
ReplyDeleteSo unfair. Police and politicians are the two worst thing in our country
ReplyDelete