Daniel Bwala, a lawyer and public affairs analyst, has criticised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for giving certain privileges to the former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, while denying same to the convicted popular crossdresser, Idris Okuneye aka Bobrisky, who was recently convicted and sentenced for publicly abusing the naira.
The ex-spokesman of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar faulted the EFCC’s alleged disregard for the rule of law, describing the recent press conference by the commission’s chairman, Ola Olukayode as a “media trial.”
The EFCC had accused Bello of allegedly misappropriating the sum of N80 billion and other allegations.
The EFCC boss, during a media briefing on Tuesday, vowed to resign if he failed to prosecute Bello, whom he accused of evading arrest, detention and prosecution.
Reacting to the development during a chat with ARISE TV, Bwala described the press conference as a “drama skit,” saying that the commission’s boss was conducting public discussions akin to a courtroom trial which was indirectly a way of giving Bello a chance to escape.
He said, “What happened was like a prosecutor in court doing his opening address in the view of prosecuting the matter. And who was the judge yesterday? it was the pressmen.
“That same privilege, Yahaya Bello does not have to also state his own case. So, we can call it a complete trial by the media.
“This is one of the many reasons why people tend to ask the question, is the commission actually intending to prosecute, or is the commission indirectly giving an opportunity for the accused to escape?
“This same thing has always been playing in EFCC’s approach to prosecution, which has led to so many high-profile cases going out of hand.
“For example, if you give a forensic analysis of what he (Olukayode) said in the press, a right-thinking member of society would say this was a planned script to give Yahaya Bello an escape route.
“Why did I say that? One, the trial in Nigeria is a trial not by jury. Even trial by jury is not a trial by the media. Two, having submitted a charge to court with the evidence that he has been granted an order of substitution and he has served Yahaya Bello through his counsel, he has submitted to the jurisdiction of the court. Was there any need to hold a meeting and begin to argue the substance of the charge?
“Three, some of the things he said has created more doubt and fed into the allegation of Yahaya Bello that he would not seek justice because it was a persecution.
“Otherwise, let me tell you one or two things. One, he said he accorded a special privilege and respect to Yahaya Bello. That same privilege was not given Bobrisky. That same privilege was not given to others.”