EFCC, Yahaya Bello and the Alawada circus show, By Mike Ozekhome

And it simply doesn’t make sense to me in any respect. Is it that the EFCC was gravely stunned by the sudden and surprising look in its workplaces of Bello, who it had been searching for since April this yr? Or is it that the Fee felt shortchanged and belittled by not having the final chuckle, pleasure, self-satiation and glorification of bodily arresting, chaining and embarrassing Bello, in order to later gloat over this within the public area?

I’ve simply learn a most sensational story concerning the EFCC saying it’s nonetheless searching for Bello with a view to arraigning him subsequent Thursday. This afterthought step is most unprofessional for God’s sake.

I need to consider that the EFCC’s Government Chairman, Mr Olanipekun Olukoyede, an excellent lawyer and regulatory compliance guide, who has been a secretary to the Fee and likewise chief of workers to former chairman, Mr Ibrahim Magu, was not conscious of this nice solecism. It’s in every single place on the web, conventional and social media, how the previous Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, accompanied by his successor, Governor Usman Ododo, voluntarily and bodily submitted himself to the EFCC headquarters, and waited for over three hours to be interviewed.

Photos present that he even bodily met with the Chief of Employees to the Chairman, Mr Michael Nzekwe (a senior lawyer and skilled investigator), however was instructed to go house, solely for a similar EFCC to put siege a lot later to the Kogi State authorities lodge in Abuja, allegedly looking for to arrest the identical Bello who had earlier within the day voluntarily submitted himself for interrogation. It simply doesn’t add up.

And it simply doesn’t make sense to me in any respect. Is it that the EFCC was gravely stunned by the sudden and surprising look in its workplaces of Bello, who it had been searching for since April this yr? Or is it that the Fee felt shortchanged and belittled by not having the final chuckle, pleasure, self-satiation and glorification of bodily arresting, chaining and embarrassing Bello, in order to later gloat over this within the public area?

I don’t and can’t perceive this curious twist, which seems extra like a drama piece from Baba Sala’s Alawada Kerikeri histrionic steady. Why this sensational media trial, a useless, warped investigative stratagem devoid of hallowed professionalism, which I’ve condemned through the years?

I counsel the Chairman, Olukoyede, to right away examine his officers over this fake pas and convey them to e-book for embarrassing the EFCC and subjecting Nigeria’s picture to the mud earlier than international circles. Yahaya Bello ought to go to courtroom and defend himself of the allegations in opposition to him, whether or not malicious, false or properly based. That’s the technique to go.

However the EFCC must also enable Bello have his day in courtroom like different Nigerian residents below a conducive ambiance devoid of media trial, harassment and intimidation, in order to make sure a good trial. Afterall, the Nigerian legal justice system stays the accusatorial Anglo-Saxon mannequin (the place a citizen’s innocence is presumed), as in opposition to the Inquisitorial French mannequin (the place his responsible is presumed). This presumption of innocence has been entrenched in part 36 of the 1999 Structure.

A media trial akin to we have now witnessed since April this yr violently detracts and derogates from honest trial, because it tars an in any other case harmless accused individual with an already responsible paintbrush of disgrace, odium, obloquy, derision and dehumanisation, even earlier than he has been arraigned, tried and located responsible by a courtroom of competent jurisdiction. It ought to NEVER BE.

Mike Ozekhome is a senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).