Metuh’s Political Handcuffs

Kennedy Emetulu

I’m presently engaged in an exchange with one Ahmmed Wazobia on Kelechi Deca’s wall over the handcuffing of Olisa Metuh. I was actually not originally interested in the issue, because I have since come to the conclusion that Buhari is not interested in justice, but in vendetta and everything being done now under his government has that signature all over it. He actually proved that with his comments at the Media Chat. Anyone can believe whatever they want, it’s a free world.

But quite apart from the angle of the debate I’m exploring with Ahmmed Wazobia, I have since been seeing comments to the effect that Olisa Metuh was handcuffed, because he’s Igbo and not Fulani or Northerner and all that. This is quite depressing, not only because it’s not true, but also because it’s a perfect case of people falling into a trap set by those engaged in the selective prosecution of persons in the name of fighting corruption. 

 

For instance, those contrasting how Metuh was brought to court in handcuffs with the fact that Sambo Dasuki was not are inadvertently giving the prosecutorial authorities more leeway to act more unlawfully. I say this, because some, in the name of equality before the law are actually now saying others being brought before the court should now come in handcuffs!

The truth is apart from the political undertones of Dasuki’s arrest and trial, he was not brought to court in handcuffs, because that is what the law says. Section 5 of the Administration of Justice Act (2015) makes this clear:

http://www.justice.gov.ng/documents...

Section 5: A suspect or defendant may not be handcuffed, bound or be subjected to restraint except:

there is reasonable apprehension of violence or an attempt to escape;

the restraint is considered necessary for the safety of the suspect;

by order of a court

As a matter of fact, we know that there was no reasonable apprehension of violence from Metuh or an attempt to escape by him, because while he was in detention, family, friends and well-wishers were allowed to see him. In fact, it must be supposed that the same prosecutorial and law enforcement agencies quick to release statements to the press about the supposed activities and statements of suspects in custody, suspects under interrogation or investigation, must be quick to let the world know if the suspect is being violent or attempting to escape. We heard nothing of the sort. 

 

What we heard at the time of his initial arrest while he was with the EFCC was that he ate up his own statement voluntarily made. Of course, the man denied such a thing and there is no reason to disbelieve him, because it does not make sense that a suspect would eat up a statement he voluntarily made. And if indeed he did, what was the incriminating thing in this statement he made that he had to eat up? Where is the evidence of their claim? 

 

It’s obvious that this was a statement they released in the press to stigmatise and criminalise Mr Metuh as part of a broad range of underhanded tactics being employed by the prosecution and agents of the government, tactics that include putting suspects through media and mob trial. I mean, there is nowhere else in the world you will get the activities of a suspect under police or law enforcement custody being released to the press while that suspect is under interrogation or still being investigated. But this is what we are seeing daily in Nigeria now.

At any rate, if we even accept the speculation that the paper-eating episode was the reason for the handcuffing, why was he not handcuffed when they first bought him to court on Thursday, 14 January 2016, well after the incident was reported and after he’d spent more than a week in detention? What has happened between then and now to warrant them handcuffing him? Those claiming that he was handcuffed, because he was brought from prison, rather than from EFCC custody need to explain why others brought from prison over this same matter were not handcuffed. Also, there was no reason to fear for the safety of the suspect, because we are not told that Mr Metuh has a history of self-harm and at no point during his detention has he acted in a manner to make them fear for his safety. If there was any reason for this, they would not have allowed people to see him in detention. Every person who’s been to see him in detention has come back to say he’s in high spirits and looking forward to his day in court. Finally, there was no order of the court saying Metuh should be handcuffed.

So, why did they put Metuh in handcuff? They have not told us yet and in the absence of them telling us, we can only speculate. But we have to make reasonable speculations based on our reading of events. To me, this is part of the antics of those prosecuting Metuh to break him. Not only that, I view those handcuffs as political handcuffs, because they are meant by those prosecuting Metuh to prove that they’ve conquered the PDP. Or what better way to prove this than to put its national mouthpiece in handcuffs and parade him in court and before the world? Not sure if he’s been released yet after the grant of bail, but if he hasn’t, someone should tell him to quickly declare for APC. That way, he will get a contract of N1 billion, pay something to the EFCC and then go home to his wife and family. Yeye dey smell!