Parade of suspects illegal.
Lagos lawyer Mr Femi Falana has urged the Police to desist from parading crime suspects before reporters because, according to him, it is illegal.
He praised the acting Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar for directing all police formations to stop the practice of detaining suspected criminals beyond 24 hours and for dismantling checkpoints.
Falana, said if faithfully implemented, the directive will stop the detention of suspects without trial.
The directive, according to the activist lawyer, is in line with the provision of the Constitution and the Africa Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.
It will also discourage keeping innocent people behind bars for the sole purpose of extorting from them, Falana said.
The lawyer said the police, in order to frustrate the implementation of the directive, allegedly impose onerous bail conditions on suspects, while reliable sureties are also being rejected on frivolous grounds.
“There is therefore the urgent need on the part of the IGP to direct commissioners of police to liaise with the ministries of justice, the Human Rights Commission, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the human rights community to ensure that suspects are promptly arraigned in court,” he said.
On the lining-up of suspects before the media, Falana said: “The IGP should proceed to stop the parade of suspects which has been held to be illegal by the courts.
“It is on the ground that it is prejudicial to the right of criminal suspects to fair hearing guaranteed by Section 36 of the Constitution.
“Since criminal suspects are presumed innocent until the contrary is proved, their parade also contravenes Section 35 of the Constitution which guarantees the dignity of their persons.”
Falana praised the decision to dismantle police check points, which he alleged have become extortion centres, adding that the roads should however be regularly patrolled and monitored by anti-robbery teams so as to guarantee the safety of motorists and the security of their goods.
If this is not done, members of the public may be compelled to demand for the return of check points if the roads are taken over, once again, by armed robbers, he said.
“In view of the avowed commitment of the new police chief to reorganise the force and make it serve the public interest, the Nigerian people should stand up to defend their fundamental right to personal liberty which has been grossly abused with impunity.
“In other words, Nigerians should take advantage of the new dispensation in the Police Force by demanding for their rights instead of compromising the police,” the lawyer said.
Lagos lawyer Mr Femi Falana has urged the Police to desist from parading crime suspects before reporters because, according to him, it is illegal.
He praised the acting Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar for directing all police formations to stop the practice of detaining suspected criminals beyond 24 hours and for dismantling checkpoints.
Falana, said if faithfully implemented, the directive will stop the detention of suspects without trial.
The directive, according to the activist lawyer, is in line with the provision of the Constitution and the Africa Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.
It will also discourage keeping innocent people behind bars for the sole purpose of extorting from them, Falana said.
The lawyer said the police, in order to frustrate the implementation of the directive, allegedly impose onerous bail conditions on suspects, while reliable sureties are also being rejected on frivolous grounds.
“There is therefore the urgent need on the part of the IGP to direct commissioners of police to liaise with the ministries of justice, the Human Rights Commission, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the human rights community to ensure that suspects are promptly arraigned in court,” he said.
On the lining-up of suspects before the media, Falana said: “The IGP should proceed to stop the parade of suspects which has been held to be illegal by the courts.
“It is on the ground that it is prejudicial to the right of criminal suspects to fair hearing guaranteed by Section 36 of the Constitution.
“Since criminal suspects are presumed innocent until the contrary is proved, their parade also contravenes Section 35 of the Constitution which guarantees the dignity of their persons.”
Falana praised the decision to dismantle police check points, which he alleged have become extortion centres, adding that the roads should however be regularly patrolled and monitored by anti-robbery teams so as to guarantee the safety of motorists and the security of their goods.
If this is not done, members of the public may be compelled to demand for the return of check points if the roads are taken over, once again, by armed robbers, he said.
“In view of the avowed commitment of the new police chief to reorganise the force and make it serve the public interest, the Nigerian people should stand up to defend their fundamental right to personal liberty which has been grossly abused with impunity.
“In other words, Nigerians should take advantage of the new dispensation in the Police Force by demanding for their rights instead of compromising the police,” the lawyer said.
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