No law mandates us to produce Tompolo – Lawyers

Lawyers representing a former Niger Delta militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo (aka) Tompolo, on Wednesday, gave reasons why they cannot produce him in court, saying there is no law requiring them to do so.

The lawyers, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) and Mr, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, contended that it is not the duty of the defence to produce an accused person in court.

According to them, it is the obligation of the prosecution to do that, quoting Paragraph 3 (b) of the Federal High Court Practice Direction 2013 which provides: “On the date of first arraignment, the prosecutor must produce the accused person in court.”

Read also: EFCC secures property seizure order against Tompolo

The position of Oyetibo and Adegboruwa, who had filed an appeal on Tompolo’s behalf, was a reacting to calls that they should produce their client in court or be disciplined by the Bar.

There had been insinuations that since the lawyers are in touch with Tompolo, they should produce him in court as a mark of duty to the country.

The lawyers also frowned at insinuations that lawyers who defend persons accused of corruption as aiding graft as misconceived, praying that “May the day never come in Nigeria when lawyers would be afraid to take up the defence of persons accused of crime simply because of media backlash or editorial opinions”.

 

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