Soyinka, Eso want fresh probe into Ige's murder
From Iyabo Sotunde,
Ibadan
THE unresolved murder of former Justice Minister, Chief James Ajibola Ige, on December 23, 2001, returned to the front burner of public discourse yesterday.
Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, called for an independent inquiry into the incident while eminent jurist, Justice Kayode Eso (rtd), berated the Oyo State Attorney-General, Mr. Lekan Latinwo, over his botched trial of some persons on the murder.
The statesmen spoke at the public presentation of a book in honour of the late minister held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Soyinka said that there is an urgent need for the Federal Government to unravel the mystery behind the murder. "Bola Ige's killing is one of the major events that Nigerians have the moral responsibility to always remember," the Nobel Laureate said.
At the independent panel, Soyinka added, witnesses must be allowed to testify in camera if they make such a request.
According to the Nobel Laureate, the panel of enquiry should not limit its investigation to those who pulled the trigger but extend the dragnet to the masterminds.
His words: "Bola Ige's killing is one of the major events that Nigerians have the moral responsibility to always remember.
He pointed out that there must be provision for those to testify before the panel to have the right to decide whether their testimony will be in the open or behind closed doors.
He noted that the mystery surrounding the murder should be resolved by the present administration.
Soyinka also backed calls for the removal of the immunity from prosecution granted the President, the Vice President, as well as governors and their deputies by the 1999 Constitution.
In his keynote address, Justice Eso berated the Oyo State Attorney-General, Lekan Latinwo, for his role in the trial of persons held for the murder of Ige.
Eso specifically frowned at the "nolle prosecui" entered for four of the accused persons by the Attorney-General.
The eminent jurist said that although the law officer has the right to do so in the law, he ought to have allowed the suspects go through trial to clear their names.
Eso also chided police authorities for arrogating judicial power to themselves by releasing a suspect identified by son of the deceased Ige, Muyiwa, as one of the gunmen who invaded their Bodija home on the night of the murder.
According to Eso, the police erred by discharging the suspect without allowing the court to determine his fate.
Present at the ceremony held at "Bookseller" were Chief Folake Solanke, Professor Niyi Osundare, Ayo Banjo, Femi Osofisan and Akinwunmi Ishola.
Also at the event, were Messrs Odia Ofeimun and Tony Marinho, among others.
A former Osun State deputy governor Iyiola Omisore was this year discharged and acquitted over his alleged involvement in the murder. Police authorities later discontinued with the trial of some other persons linked with Omisore, now senator on the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Soyinka in his collection of essays entitled "Interventions," said there was a "need for the panel of enquiry "now that justice has been done so as to ensure that justice is seen to be done.
His words: "There are certain developments which we have no right to forget. However trivial, however simple, there are certain events in existence which we have the moral responsibilities to keep permanently in the foreground of our minds."
Soyinka continued: "This assassination of Bola Ige, and not just the assassination but that as Justice Eso has enumerated, the circumstances surrounding the event itself, the unbelievable travesty of justice, the manipulation, the intrigue and the bewildering level of impudence."
He called for the termination of "the culture of immunity in this country", which to him is responsible for the brazenness with which organised crime is being committed in the country.
He said: "It is for this reason I join others for a call for a commission of enquiry since now the case is over. Now that justice has been done, let us now proceed to ensure that justice is seen to be done. I believe this can only take place if there is an open commission of enquiry."
Soyinka stressed that his major concern was the unmasking of the identity of the masterminds.
The independent judicial commission of enquiry, according to the Nobel Laureate, should grant immunity and protection to those who have any information to lay before the public.
"The commission should expose how it came about that the Attorney-General of this nation, the first law officer, a former governor of this nation, a leader of a political party could be gunned town and there will be so much flagrant contradictions", Soyinka said.
Justice Eso, in his paper, wondered why the state Attorney-General would enter "nolle" for four of the accused having been said to have a case to answer by the trial judge.
Eso noted that the Attorney-General is in law, "a law unto himself." He said that the way Latinwo exercised the power of a nolle prosecui, "would go down in legal history as one of the worst ever."
Eso added that the use of the power by the Oyo State Attorney-General would qualify for a place in the "Guinness book of records."
The jurist also cited two instances of persons who claimed to the police that they knew the killers of Ige but whose testimonies were mishandled by the police.
"One of the victims identified one of the killers, saw him eyeball to eyeball, but after some questioning by the police, he was released based on alibi, Eso said.
The retired justice said the police arrogated judicial and quasi-judicial powers to themselves by allowing the culprit to walk away without prosecution which, according to him, is unheard of in civilised societies.`
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