By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
It is erroneous for the federal Attorney General to take over the prosecution of Ikedi Ohakim over the nude videos of Chinyere Amuchinwa as ruled on Monday by the Abuja Federal High Court, Ohakim’s counsel has argued.
Aloy Ejimakor insisted in a statement on Tuesday that while the former Imo State Governor will “continue to abide in respects for decisions of courts, this very ruling will be promptly challenged in all appropriate fora, because it bears no relevance to the material particulars of the dispute.”
He said the ruling created false impressions that, in the course of time, will be fully dealt with and explained that this saga persists because Ohakim, as a former Governor and a politically exposed person, “has detractors who have latched on this case to tarnish his reputation.”
Ejimakor reiterated that Amuchinwa is a defendant before an FCT High on the same set of facts that the Federal High Court made the ruling against Ohakim.
“It is also pertinent to note that these charges were already discontinued by the complainants (Nigerian Police) before someone suddenly materialised from the office of the Attorney-General, insisting on taking over the case,” he stressed.
“Amuchinwa is facing trial because official police forensic evidence revealed that she was the one that produced the nude video she had accused Ohakim of photoshopping.
“So, one wonders why a court should rule that Ohakim will stand trial on a matter upon which forensic evidence had exonerated him.”
Ejimakor argued that the court ruling “seemingly ignored the long and twisted history of the case.
“In addition to the damning forensic evidence on the nude video, the other reason [the police] discontinued the related charges against Ohakim was when they became aware that the charges were brought in flagrant disobedience of an extant order of a competent court.
“In the light of the above, we are convinced that this very ruling was made per incuriam (in manifest error) and will thus not survive the avalanche of the legal challenges that will be brought to bear, sooner than later.”
