Olisa Metuh : When Section 349 of Administration Of Criminal Justice Act 2015 means nothing to Justice Abang ...

By Ikechukwu Emeka Onyia

Can a judge continue proceedings in absence of the defendant's lawyer in a criminal matter without offending Section 349 (1)a,b,(2)(3) of Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 ?

It is no more secret that Counsel to Olisa Metuh who is still on a sick bed at National Hospital Abuja , did not appeal on Thursday and Friday proceedings of the Court .

But , the law in Section 349 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 , stated what the Court should do in a case where a defendant lawyer did not appear in the Court which centred on reaching out to the defendant for the purpose of allowing him get another legal practitioner by himself or legal aid inline with the above cited Act .

It is of note that Justice Abang refused to submit to the above cited section regards the absence of the legal representation of the defendant .

Let's look at the what the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 said :

Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 :

Section ( 349) (1) where a defendant charged before the court is not represented by a legal practitioner , the court shall :

(a) inform him of his rights to a legal practitioner of his choice ; and

(b) enquire for him, whether he wish to engage his own legal practitioner , or a legal practitioner engage for him by way of legal aid .

(2) where the legal practitioner who had appeared on behalf of the defendant cease to appear in court in two consecutive sessions of the court , the court shall enquire from the defendant if he wishes to engage on his own another legal practitioner or a legal practitioner engaged for him by way of legal aid .

(3) Where the defendant wishes to engage another legal practitioner of his choice, the court shall allow him reasonable time but not exceeding 30 days to do so .

.................................

Despite the provisions sections 349(2) &(3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act , Justice Abang today unilaterally closed the defence of Olisa Metuh and foreclosed him from offering any more defence in his matter .

The point is that the issue is not really about Olisa Metuh as a person , but what seems to a deliberate effort to undermined the system .

Ikechukwu Emeka Onyia ©2018
Abuja , Nigeria

IkayMOVE:
Olisa Metuh : When Section 349 of Administration Of Criminal Justice Act 2015 means nothing to Justice Abang ...

By Ikechukwu Emeka Onyia

Can a judge continue proceedings in absence of the defendant's lawyer in a criminal matter without offending Section 349 (1)a,b,(2)(3) of Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 ?

It is no more secret that Counsel to Olisa Metuh who is still on a sick bed at National Hospital Abuja , did not appeal on Thursday and Friday proceedings of the Court .

But , the law in Section 349 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 , stated what the Court should do in a case where a defendant lawyer did not appear in the Court which centred on reaching out to the defendant for the purpose of allowing him get another legal practitioner by himself or legal aid inline with the above cited Act .

It is of note that Justice Abang refused to submit to the above cited section regards the absence of the legal representation of the defendant .

Let's look at the what the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 said :

Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 :

Section ( 349) (1) where a defendant charged before the court is not represented by a legal practitioner , the court shall :

(a) inform him of his rights to a legal practitioner of his choice ; and

(b) enquire for him, whether he wish to engage his own legal practitioner , or a legal practitioner engage for him by way of legal aid .

(2) where the legal practitioner who had appeared on behalf of the defendant cease to appear in court in two consecutive sessions of the court , the court shall enquire from the defendant if he wishes to engage on his own another legal practitioner or a legal practitioner engaged for him by way of legal aid .

(3) Where the defendant wishes to engage another legal practitioner of his choice, the court shall allow him reasonable time but not exceeding 30 days to do so .

.................................

Despite the provisions sections 349(2) &(3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act , Justice Abang today unilaterally closed the defence of Olisa Metuh and foreclosed him from offering any more defence in his matter .

The point is that the issue is not really about Olisa Metuh as a person , but what seems to a deliberate effort to undermined the system .

Ikechukwu Emeka Onyia ©2018
Abuja , Nigeria

This is a prejudicial commentary and I advice the mods to yank it off immediately before they receive a Court summon.This is the same way one of the lawyers of Chief Olisa Metuh landed Channels TV in trouble by using the channels TV platform to cast aspersions against the judge. The OP is most likely one of the counsels of the defendant,ChiefMetuh
@Mynd44 @Seun