Why I’m defending Evans –Ogungbeje
Lagos lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, has justified his decision
to defend suspected billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, a.k.a.
Evans, in court.
Ogungbeje has come under public criticisms for accepting the
brief to seek freedom for Evans from police detention, or have him charged to
court, weeks after his arrest. Nigerians had taken to the media to condemn the
move, saying, the notorious criminal suspect who confessed to denying his
victims their freedom did not deserve mercy considering the atrocities he
reportedly committed with his gang members.
But, speaking with Saturday Sun yesterday, Ogungbeje,
accused a section of the media, as well as many Nigerians of being ignorant of
the law.
Citing a judgment delivered by Lord Denning, regarded as the
most famous and influential judicial figure of the last century, he noted that
it was settled in law that “no matter the bases of the complaints of the cause
of your crime, no matter how unpopular is the cause of your crime, no matter
how bad is the cause of your crime, the legal practitioner has a duty to take
up the cause, if he’s properly briefed and provided that person represents his
client within the bounds of law.”
He added: “That is my answer to your question. So, no matter
the public opinion, I have the responsibility to take up the matter. We were
properly briefed. So, our action is based on law. And we want to represent our
client within the bounds of law, within the confines of law. So, if you for
instance, you’re a journalist, if you brief me… you don’t want me to take up
your cause, because people are saying negative things about you, or because
people have condemned you and found you guilty before the media, that I should
not take up your case?
“Look, let me tell you right away. We were briefed two weeks
ago. And I told them to give me two weeks to think, whether I would take up the
brief or not. I did my consultations. We consulted even journalists, you can go
and make enquiries. I consulted my people. I consulted senior lawyers. So, have
I done what is wrong by taking the cause of my clients? Forget what people say
in the court of public of opinion.
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