A Non Governmental Organization, Centre for Justice Mercy and Reconciliation, CJMR has lamented intimidation of families of suspects being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, urging President Muhammadu Buhari and Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice W.S.N. Onnoghen to prevail on EFCC to stop tormenting families of suspects in its custody and those undergoing trial.
The NGO in a press conference addressed by its Director, Pastor Hezekiah Olujobi said that CJMR has carried out investigations in which it discovered that many of those who are either being prosecuted or already convicted through EFCC are not giving proper trial.
Olujobi added that apart from the fact that the individuals are not giving proper trial; families of such individuals are usually being intimidated by EFCC officials all in the name of carrying out investigation.
“We have a case of Professor Benjamin Ogunmodede the Director of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Apata, Ibadan who lamented during the visit of CJMR in Agodi prison: “I have much to say why my reputation should be rescued from the load of false accusations and calumny which has been heaped upon it”. After 40 years of meritorious services to my nation and fatherland should the judicial system over ambitious quest for position be allowed to tarnish my image and humiliate me out of office? By the end of July 2018, I would have completed 40 years of unbroken and meritorious service to the nation at the Obafemi Awolowo University and about two years to the 70years mandatory retirement age for Nigeria university professor why should I be rewarded in this manner?
He added: “We also met a man Babalola who has rose to the manager in CBN who was connected with the CBN mutilated naira note in 2015, he supposed to retire this year August his retirement letter was brought to him in the prison and he refused to collect it.”
“The incarceration of these individuals who are bread winners of their families have greatly affected the larger families, some of them have lost their mothers as a result of their incarcerations.”
Pastor Olujobi lamented that some of the people are having health issues. “EFCC has frozen the accounts of all of them making life difficult for them and their families, as a result, making it difficult for them to give lawyer money to pursue their cases to the Supreme Court, he stated.
“On 20th February, 2018, EFCC agents overnight went to the shop of one of the wives of the suspects, one Mrs. Olufunke Adeyemi where she was selling petty things to survive after her bank account has been frozen by the EFCC. They sealed her shop and led her to her house and ordered her to take anything important to her and both the house and the shop were sealed same day. That same day this woman and her 4 children were rendered homeless leaving her without any source of income to survive.”
“The question calling for answer in this case – why did EFCC come to the house of this woman on February, 2018 and threw her out to be homeless including her children, when the EFCC has already confiscated all other properties in 2015 except where she is living? Why is EFCC running after this particular woman leaving the rest to continue leaving in their houses? Others are leaving in fear now of who will be the next to be chased out.”
Pastor Olujobi stated that one of suspects pursued her bail to the Supreme Court and her bail was granted on 19th January, 2018 after her bail was frustrated by the EFCC at the two lower Courts.
“That the Supreme Court that granted bail to Eye Patience Okoro one of the suspects in this case is a plus to the judiciary and this shows that the Judiciary can be trusted, but this trust and hope should not be limited to the Supreme Court, the lower courts are often times intimidated by the EFCC to exercise their authority. The question now is what will be the hope of those who have no money to pursue justice to the Supreme Court?
He added: “Another evil the EFCC did during the trial is to run after the wives of the accused urging them to convince their husbands to plea bargain, so that they can be set free. Refusal of this particular woman and the husband to plea bargain was among the major causes why they chased this woman out of her house on 20th February, 2018.”
“Now that the Christmas is approaching, the only hope you can give these children is to allow their parents have access to justice by granting them bail and speed up the trial.”
CJMR however recommended that that the Police should reinvestigate the matter of Professor Benjamin Ogunmodede or set up an open enquiry to the petition that led to his arrest.
It also recommended that EFCCT should stop running after the families of the suspects.
CJMR also wants Mrs. Olufunke Adeyemi who was ejected from the house left to be returned to her house to prevent her family from being destitute and those who have their business premises sealed up should also be allowed to return to their business premises to ameliorate their sufferings.
“That the Court should give a favorable bail and bound terms which are constitutional rights under Article 49(1) (h) to these incarcerated suspects, according to the rule of law”.
“We hereby appeal to the Honorable, the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman, National Judicial Council, Hon. Justice W.S.N. Onnoghen, GCON, to give instruction to the judges of the court to act on the bail applications before them in favor of these individuals incarcerated as the law stipulated it. In Lagos, no court refused bail application of EFCC matter, Ibadan Oyo State should not be different. The President of Nigeria, Muhammad Buhari, the Vice President and the AGF MR. Malami and Ibrahim Magu to give heed to the crying of these children of illegal detention.”
“Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute. Rescue the poor and helpless; deliver them from the grasp of evil oppressor. Ps 82:3-5. On our own part we are fulfilling the scripture that says “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. 9 Speak up and judge fairly.