Ex-lawmaker seeks NJC’s intervention in Ekiti murder trial

A former member of the House of Representatives, Mr Bamidele Faparusi, has said that the National Judicial Council (NJC) should step in to investigate what he claimed was “prolonged imprisonment” of the accused persons standing trial in the murder of a former chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW)  in Ekiti State, Chief Omolafe Aderiye.

Faparusi alleged in Ado Ekiti, on Monday, while presenting gifts to members of the family of those charged with the murder of the transport union chief, that they were “being persecuted for their political beliefs, being All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains.”

He alleged that those being tried at the Ekiti State High Court were “being victimised by the authorities for their political beliefs, using the instrumentality of the judiciary.”

Those under trial are two former chairmen of the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Mr Rotimi Olabiwonnu (aka Mentilo) and  Bayo Adeyiye (aka Ojuigo); Mr Sola Durodola, Oso Farotimi, Ajayi Kayode, Sola Adenijo and a former leader of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) in the state, Chief Niyi Adedipe (aka Apase).

Faparusi said “the NJC as a regulatory body on judicial officers in Nigeria must probe into why the accused persons were being imprisoned without justifiable reasons.

“It was clear that these accused persons were being persecuted over trumped-up charges. As we speak now, no veracious evidence linked them with  the murder of Aderiye.

“Any country where justice is not being served stands the risk of violence. So,  NJC must do the needful in this matter. The court has been hiding under technicality to prolong their stay in the prison.

“The plaintiff has been frustrating attempt to bail them out of the prison. These accused persons are notable people who cannot jump bail .For two times now, the families had lost the opportunities of celebrating the Christmas and New Year with their breadwinners and this was a great injustice which must be corrected.”

He said he decided to reach out to the families of the accused persons as a way of identifying with them at this trying time, when their breadwinners were being imprisoned over allegation that could not be proven.

Speaking on behalf of the affected families, Mrs Seun  Adenijo and MrsSola Durodola , said the time had come for the accused persons to be granted bail to prove that the country was still operating an egalitarian society.

They said: “The offence leveled against them is very grievous and weare not saying they should not be tried. What we frown on is attempt to politicize the issue. This is not an issue that has to do with politics; so, we should allow judicial process to be devoid of manipulations.