Lagos legal professional, Olukoya Ogungbeje, has justified his selection to defend suspected billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, a.k.a. Evans, in the court of law.
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 flow, pronouncing, the infamous criminal suspect who confessed to denying his sufferers their freedom did now not deserve mercy thinking about the atrocities he reportedly dedicated together with his gang individuals.
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.
“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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