Murder: Ekiti APC chieftain tasks NASS on review of criminal justice system

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State and governorship aspirant, Kayode Ojo, has called on the National Assembly to review the country’s criminal justice system.

Ojo, who made the call in Ado Ekiti, said the review would tackle situations where the accused in killings that were perceived to be politically-motivated, would be given speedy trial and would not be detained endlessly.

Ojo, who spoke with newsmen after declaring his governorship ambition at the APC secretariat in Ado Ekiti, claimed that some governors were allegedly hiding under the law, which permitted incarceration of the accused in criminal charges, especially murder, to victimise the opposition.

According him, detaining suspects endlessly was “dangerous to the country’s judicial process and the National Assembly must look into this for the sake of justice.”

The APC chief, who had earlier donated two lorry loads of rice to the Ekiti APC, also expressed concern when he paid a visit to the Ado Ekiti prisons where APC chief standing trial since 2014, are being detained, to donate food items and cash for their welfare.

The governorship aspirant expressed concern over the plight of the APC chieftains in detention, claiming that their trial and detentions were “obvious political oppression.”

Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) leader in the state, Mr Niyi Adedipe; Mr Rotimi Olabiwonnu, Mr Sola Adenijo, Bayo Aderiye, Ajayi Kayode, Sola Durodola, and Osi Farotimi are in detention as they are standing trial in the murder of a former Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the state, Chief Omolafe Aderiye, killed on September 24, 2014. P

“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 (NJC) 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.