Rotimi Jacobs, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday dismissed reports that the National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh was being unlawfully detained by the commission.
He said Metuh’s continued detention was in line with court order.
Rotimi disclosed this while speaking with newsmen shortly after an Abuja Federal High Court, presided by Justice Abang Okon adjourned hearing on Metuh’s case till January 20.
Metuh on Thursday filed a fundamental application before the Federal High Court, Abuja seeking for his release.
But the judge had adjourned the case to allow the EFCC five days to respond to the application.
According to Rotimi, “It is not unlawful to detain somebody on the order of the court. There are misinformation everywhere, it’s not done like that. We cannot ignore the law; we cannot do things without due process.”
He stated that ”under the criminal justice act, you can arrest somebody and go to court to validate it. We have the order.”
Rotimi, while stating that arresting a person was not illegal, wondered why nobody talks when an ordinary Nigerian is arrested but when ”it’s a big man, then we hear a lot of noise.”
“Are you saying that the people who died confronting the Boko Haram sect in the north-east without arms are not entitled to fare hearing? Fundamental right? The family of those people who are under agony till today are they not entitled to human right, we need to look at this thing closely and apply the law accordingly,” he said.
Rotimi while calling on Nigerians not to associate with corruption, also appealed to the media not to “glorify” those calling for Metuh’s release on the ground that he is innocent without being subjected to trial by the court.
Daily Post
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