Follow Us on Google
From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
The Global Society for Anti-Corruption (GSAC), has decried the arrest and detention of a female client, Patience Ede, allegedly by a state counsel assigned to defend her matter in court in Enugu state.
Edeh had suffered battering and psychological torture in the hands of her husband which allegedly led to her loss of pregnancy.
Last Thursday, however, the case, which had suffered a series of adjournments at the Magistrates’ Court, took another twist when the poor woman sited her estranged husband, Evidence Nwachukwu, allegedly discussing with her Counsel, Nkechi Egbula, and attempted to take their picture.
The development was said to have angered the State Counsel, who ordered the police to arrest and detain her. Edeh was allegedly released on bail after a written apology. However, explaining the reason for the arrest, Barr. Aidenojie said her client, whom she had suffered for, insulted her when she saw her and her husband talking, as she was only telling him when their next matter would come up.
“The girl insulted me so much today, when she saw me talking with her husband. Did she know what I was discussing with him before she started taking my picture?” she wondered.
Decrying the development, on Tuesday, President of GSAC, Frank Ezeona, urged the state governor, Peter Mbah, to order an investigation into the matter, which, he said, was a clear case of intimidation to cover and deny the poor woman of justice.
Ezeona, who promised that the group would stand by the woman to ensure that she gets justice from the case, insisted that it was unfair for a state counsel, paid by the state government, to allegedly hobnob with a ‘suspect”, standing trial in an offence of such magnitude.
“GSAC calls on the Enugu State government to sanction the bad eggs in the ministry of justice and investigate allegations against state counsel who detained a woman she was representing in court; just because the woman questioned her involvement in unprofessional relationship with her estranged husband in the court premises after they had a day in court.
“It is quite disturbing that a state counsel will descend so low to intimidate a poor woman who the state paid her to prosecute her case in court. It is uncalled for and an abuse of position and this is giving Enugu State a bad name, especially when Enugu State governor is doing everything to bring civility in the state”, he stated.
Ezeona added that investigating the state counsel would give the government opportunity “to look into the allegations raised by the woman about the involvement of some people at the department of Public Prosecution (DPP) in trying to cover up the case of being influenced into apportioning light charges in criminal matters.”
“From investigation and physical evidence, the husband of this poor woman had, on several occasions, given her bodily injuries with machetes and on one occasion caused her to lose her baby and left her to die. It is domestic violence and the Enugu State government is supposed to protect this woman”, he added.
