A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Kayode Ojo, has called on the National Assembly to review the country’s criminal justice system to prevent accused in politically-motivated killings from being detained endlessly.
Ojo said some governors were allegedly hiding under the law, which permitted endless incarceration of those alleged of complicity in criminal charges, especially murder, to victimize opposition, describing this as “dangerous to the country’s judicial process.”
Also, while commenting on the demise of the late elder statesman, Prof. Babalola Borishade, Ojo described the death of Prof. Borishade as “a great loss to people of Ekiti State in particular, the government and Nigeria in general.”
Ojo who hails from Ikoro Ekiti said the death occurred when the country needed the wealth of experience of the deceased most, urging the family to take solace in the fact that the late Professor lived an exemplary life.
Ojo who had also donated two lorry loads of rice to the Ekiti APC, a week earlier, expressed the concern in Ado Ekiti when he paid a visit to the APC chieftains imprisoned at the Ado Prison to donate food items and cash for their welfare.
The aspirant expressed concern over the plight of some APC chieftains
Incarcerated in Ado Ekiti Prisons over alleged obvious political oppression.
Facing murder charge and in detention are the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) leader in Ekiti, Mr. Niyi Adedipe; Mr Rotimi Olabiwonnu, Mr Sola Adenijo, Bayo Aderiye, Ajayi Kayode, Sola Durodola, and Osi Foretime.
They have been in the prison custody for over two years as they answer charges over the murder of a former Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Ekiti, Chief Omolafe Aderiye, killed on September 24, 2014.
Addressing journalists after visiting the detainees in the prison, Ojo, expressed resentment over the victimization, assuring that the party will take all necessary legal and administrative steps to address the perceived injustice against them.
“This is a clear case of political victimization. How can somebody be detained for close to three years without diligent prosecution? The police filed charges against them but lacked evidence to prosecute the case and they are still being held in spite of this open fact.
“It is high time the National Assembly in conjunction with the National Judicial Council reviewed the criminal justice system that will ensure justice for those being persecuted over political beliefs.
“I will suggest to the National Assembly to carry out review that will stipulate specific time those falling victims of such should be in prison after which they can be released on bail pending the time police can have evidence against them after conclusion of investigation
“But a situation whereby police will just pick a suspect up and charge him to court and only for the judge to order his imprisonment even before evidence are produced is a great injustice that must not be allowed to exist in the constitution, because such will constitute a crime against God and humanity if someone is found to be innocent after being detained for more than five years,” he said.
