Femi Falana Insists He Was Contacted By Clara Chime To Free Her From House Arrest.
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.
*wow,so placing your spouse under house arrest against their will is indeed another form of domestic violence?
Chime please do
the right thing and send your wife for treatment if you think she
ismedically challenged,if you are hiding her indoors against her will
because you are ashamed,it is so unfair of you. afterall when you had
health problems you sought the faces of doctors abroad!
I am sure after the public outcry following his detaining his wife,Clara will indeed be free because everyone is watching now.
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