Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State on Tuesday denied subjecting his wife, Clara, to house arrest.

Chime, who also vowed to protect his wife’s integrity, addressed journalists on the issue in the presence of Clara and her elder brother, Mr. Tony Igwe.

Also present at the meeting are governor’s siblings, Mrs. May Oji and Dr. Jide Chime, as well as Clara’s neuro-psychiatric doctor, Dr. Aham Agumuo, among others.

At the interview session, the governor’s wife denied sending any petition to the National Human Rights Commission alleging unlawful detention by her husband.

She also denied hiring the services of Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) to seek her freedom from an alleged house arrest at the Governor’s Lodge, Enugu.

Although, Falana had claimed in his letter to some media houses and the Inspector-General of Police that he was engaged by Clara to seek her freedom from the alleged house arrest.

The governor, however, said that it was “so disturbing” for him to speak out publicly about his wife’s health challenges.

He, however, vowed to do everything, no matter the personal pains, to protect his wife from ridicule.

He said, “Well, my wife has some medical challenges and it would be very unkind for me to talk about her condition on the pages of newspapers.

“I have done everything to protect her integrity and I’m not now going to expose her to ridicule because some people want to exploit her situation to drag me into a needless war of words.

“We’ve been battling this (Clara’s health challenges) prior to my inauguration in 2011. It was so bad at a time that she had to be taken out of here (Governor’s Lodge) for treatment.

“When she stabilised, I pleaded with her doctors for her to be brought back here to be receiving her treatment at home and they graciously accepted.

“There was a time she was confined indoors and that was strictly on her doctors’ advice. She’s here and she can confirm or deny it. Also, the doctors then advised against allowing her access to telephones and laptop.”

Then Chime paused, heaved a sigh and continued the story.

He said, “I cannot say or do anything to undermine her dignity. She is, first and foremost, my wife. The big blunder I committed was allowing her access to the telephone and her laptop, against the advice of her doctor. I’m paying dearly for that today, going by what is happening now.

“Her brother is here, her doctor is here with us too. You people (journalists) can confirm anything you want from them, either here and at your convenience.

“Would I have been a better husband if I asked her to leave the lodge because of her medical challenges? Would it not have been more convenient for me if I allowed her to stay and be treated in the hospital?

“But like I said earlier, I wanted the best for her and that’s why I pleaded with the doctors to have her treated at home. That is also why I allowed her access to her telephone and laptop, which unfortunately led to the stage where I’m now being falsely accused of imprisoning or detaining my own wife.”

When it was her turn to speak, Mrs. Chime could not. Her husband and brother had to persuade her for a long time before she could.

On the petition to the National Human Rights Commission, she corroborated an earlier text message she had sent to her husband that she had not met Falana or engaged him to seek her release from a purported unlawful custody.

She rather admitted that she wrote a letter to her doctor, Dr. Agumuo and another doctor overseas who she was introduced to and wondered how the letter leaked to the public.

Clara also admitted that she was once confined to a room without access to her telephone and laptop. She said, “That was when I had a serious crisis.”

The governor’s wife also confirmed that she has the key to her room and controls her entry and exit, contrary to the claim in the petition that she had beenlocked up for asking to be allowed to leave.

Her grouse was that she had not been allowed to leave the premises. “Though I attended mass last Sunday,” she said.

Her husband came in here and said, “All I want to reassure you is that she is safe here. Her confinement within the premises for now is at the instance of her doctor who is here.”

http://www.punchng.com/news/i-didnt-detain-my-wife-says-chime/

By SaharaReporters, New York


Human rights advocate Femi Falana has repudiated the claim by the governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sullivan Chime, that he did not receive a brief from his wife to represent her to secure her release from the illegal detention imposed by her husband, the governor.

“I wish to say, without any fear of contradiction, that I have her instructions in writing to challenge her illegal detention at the Government House, Enugu,” he declared in a statement on Wednesday. “Through the assistance of some of the security personnel in the Government House she has since spoken to me on phone to confirm her instructions. Indeed, Mrs Chime's mother and her personal physician have also been in touch with me urging me to take all appropriate measures to secure her freedom from Governor Chime's illegal confinement.”

Beyond that, Mr. Falana pointed out that contrary to the governor’s diversionary statement, he does not need the instructions of citizens who are illegally detained to demand for their release.

“Without any instructions I am duty bound to file cases in court to secure the enforcement of the fundamental rights of detainees to personal liberty. For the avoidance of doubt, the doctrine of locus standi in the area of human rights has been abolished by the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009 which came into force on December 1, 2009,” he said.

Mr. Falana noted that at the press conference Governor Chime succeeded in confirming the allegation that he has held his wife in illegal custody but attempted to justify the illegality by alleging that his wife has "a medical challenge".

Said the statement: “When Governor Chime was recently medically challenged he was not subjected to solitary confinement in the Government House but flown abroad for adequate medical treatment,” the lawyer said. “But Mr Chime has conspired with his private physicians to sentence his wife to unwarranted mental torture and psychological trauma in a room in the Government House for the past four months. If Mr. Chime's claim is correct that the wife is non compos mentis, when was the Enugu Government House converted to a psychiatric hospital?

“Having confirmed the allegation that he has willfully infringed the fundamental rights of his wife to personal liberty, dignity of the person and freedom of movement Governor Chime should release his wife from illegal custody [and] be warned not to divert attention from the brutal abuse of the rights of his wife. If he and his doctors are convinced that she is medically challenged they should send her to a hospital for quick recovery!”

Mr. Falana thanked the Director-General of the State Security Service who, he said, has directed the security service personnel attached to the Government House to desist from teaming up with the Governor to hold his wife hostage.


http://saharareporters.com/news-page/enugu-government-house-hostage-i-was-fully-briefed-mrs-clara-chime-asserts-femi-falana

somebody is lying here. I think there is a cover up somewhere. we can only hear the truth when this woman is completely alone with human rights people and trusted police. not those from enugu state.

Hmmmm no smoke without fire...

Falana is within his "moral rights" to fight for the woman's right. Shame on all those fools who claimed SaharaReporters were lying when they broke the story. That the woman is locked up for whatever reason is a clear violation of her fundamental human rights. What is most troubling (& dangerous) is that Chime has hired doctors to tinker with an otherwise normal lady. Too many questions arise that beg for answers... was she ever mentally ill, was she being treated for depression or psychiatric illness prior to marrying Chime, when and how did this sudden sickness begin...

Probable cause:
If the rumor about Chime fathering her sister's child is correct, the shock may have caused her "momentary madness" which by itself is no "medical condition" as claimed by the Governor. If Chime is sincere about her condition, why not send her to London for proper medical too. Afterall, the Bible says: Do unto others...

God knows best !