Falana: we’ll prove letter was not forged


Lagos lawyer and counsel to Vintage Press Limited, publishers of The Nation, Mr. Femi Falana yesterday demanded the immediate release of the newspaper editors.

Messrs Lawal Ogienagbon, Dapo Olufade, Yusuf Ali, Yomi Odunuga and two others were yesterday arrested over the controversial letter written by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to President Goodluck Jonathan.

Falana said his client is ready to prove that the controversial letter which Chief Obasanjo wrote to President Jonathan was not forged.

In a statement, Falana said:

“Following the recent publication of a letter written to President Goodluck Jonathan by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in respect of some federal parastatals, the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters requested the editor of The Nation newspaper, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso to report at Abuja for interrogation with respect to the source of the publication of the said letter. As Mr. Omotoso had travelled out of the country on an official engagement we wrote to the police to the effect that he would report upon his return to the country.

“But this afternoon the police invaded the Abuja office of the newspaper and arrested two of its correspondents- Messrs Yussuf Ali and Yomi Odunuga.A similar operation was carried out in its Lagos office where the police quizzed Messrs Lawal Ogienagbon, John Austin Unachukwu, Adegbenjo Babajide and Dapo Olufade as well as Mrs Dupe Olaoye-Osinkolu. All efforts to secure the release of the detained journalists have proved abortive as they are being asked to disclose the source of the leakage of Chief Obasanjo’s letter.

“As the detained journalists are not prepared to disclose the source of the publication they are being accused of having forged the letter. Meanwhile Chief Obasanjo’s specimen signature has not been obtained and taken to a forensic laboratory to establish the allegation of forgery in the circumstance. To that extent no reasonable suspicion has been established to warrant the arrests and detention of the journalists as required by Section 35 of the Constitution of Nigeria,

“Since forgery is a bailable offence under the law we demand for the immediate release of the detained journalists. In the alternative, they should be charged to court where our clients will prove beyond any shadow of doubt that the controversial letter was not forged’’.


http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/22626-falana%3A-we%E2%80%99ll-prove-letter-was-not-forged.html

See abuse of power. "Fresh air" indeed. Good to see that GEJ's godfather and de facto President (OBJ) , backed by Mr. President, is still a fan of lawlessness .

“Since forgery is a bailable offence under the law we demand for the immediate release of the detained journalists. In the alternative, they should be charged to court where our clients will prove beyond any shadow of doubt that the controversial letter was not forged’’.