Aloy Ejimakor, Counsel to former Governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, has described as “erroneous”, the order by Justice Taiwo Taiwo on Monday that the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, should take over the prosecution of his client from the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba.
POLITICS NIGERIA recalls a ruling on Monday by a Federal High Court in Abuja granting leave to Malami to take over prosecution of Ohakim over a matter relating to nude videos of one Chinyere Amuchinwa.
Now, in a press release on Tuesday morning, Ohakim’s defence team vowed that the ruling will be challenged, “because it bears no relevance to the material particulars of the dispute”.
The release signed by Ejimakor reads: “At worst, the ruling created false impressions that, in the course of time, will be fully dealt with. Meanwhile, the emphasis needs to be made that this whole saga persists because Dr Ohakim, as a former Governor and a politically exposed, has detractors that have latched on this case to tarnish his stellar reputation.
“For avoidance of doubt, the said Chinyere Amuchinwa is already a defendant before an FCT High on the same set of facts that the Federal High Court made the instant ruling against Dr Ohakim. This development should have foreclosed this later ruling because, at law, Dr Ohakim cannot lawfully face trial on the same set of facts upon which Ms Amuchinwa was already facing trial.”
It adds: “It is also pertinent to note that these Charges were already discontinued by the Complainants (Nigeria Police) before someone suddenly materialized from the office of the Attorney-General, insisting on taking over the case.
“In particular, Ms Amuchinwa is facing trial because official police forensic evidence revealed that she was the one that produced the nude video she had accused Dr Ohakim of photoshopping. So, one wonders why a Court should rule that Dr Ohakim will stand trial on a matter upon which forensic evidence had exonerated him.
“Further, this Court ruling seemingly ignored the long and twisted history of the case. In addition to the damning forensic evidence on the nude video, the other reason Nigerian Police Force discontinued the related Charges against Dr Ohakim was when they became aware that the Charges were brought in flagrant disobedience of an extant order of a competent court.
“In the light of the above, we are convinced that this very ruling was made per incuriam (in manifest error) and will thus not survive the avalanche of the legal challenges that will be brought to bear, sooner than later. Thank you.”
