A civic group known as the Africa Center for Good Governance and Corruption Free Communities has raised alarm over what it described as the improper handling of a legal dispute involving human rights lawyer, Barrister Victor Giwa, and two other individuals.
The organization said a case that originally started as a civil dispute has now been converted into a criminal prosecution by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
In a statement signed by its Convener, Temitope Olubunmi Joseph, the group called on the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), along with the Director of Public Prosecution in the Ministry of Justice, Rotimi Oyedepo, to urgently re-examine the matter.
According to the CSO, the dispute was first treated as a civil issue but was later changed into a criminal case during the tenure of former Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
The group insisted that the situation needs a fresh and careful review, warning that the prosecution may amount to harassment or a targeted attack.
They questioned how a civil disagreement suddenly became a criminal case, urging current justice officials to take a closer look at the facts before proceeding further.
The statement also alleged that the previous administration in the Ministry of Justice used its authority to pressure Giwa and his client, Cecil Osakwe, in connection with a property located at No. 1 Me Long Close, Maitama, Abuja.
The group appealed to the current Attorney-General to reopen the investigation and ensure fairness, stressing that no one should be wrongly punished if they are innocent.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, presided over by Justice Samira Bature, had issued an arrest warrant for Barrister Giwa and a police officer, Edith Erhunmuuse. They were to appear in court alongside Cecil Osakwe over a nine-count charge filed by the Attorney-General’s office.
The charges relate to alleged unlawful eviction and damage to property valued at about N300 million.
However, the civic group argued that the eviction in question was carried out based on a valid court order from the FCT High Court, meaning it was legally approved.
It maintained that without that court order, the eviction could not have taken place, and therefore questioned the basis of the criminal charges brought against the defendants.