The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has expressed shock and utter disappointment over conditions of the bail granted today to leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Chidi Lloyd, who is under police detention for attempted murder by an Ahoada High Court.
The party described the bail as a vindication of its fears and alarm that Hon Michael Chindah could not get justice in Rivers State. Alarmed by this seeming contradiction in the face of the ongoing sanitisation of the Judiciary by the National Judicial Council (NJC) the party described the bail and order stopping further arrest and prosecution of Chidi Lloyd made by Justice Charles N. Wali sitting in Ahoada as a travesty of justice.
A statement issued and signed by Special Adviser on Media to the State Chairman of PDP, Jerry Needam queried the logic behind Justice Wali’s order in a case properly before another judge of coordinate jurisdiction in Port Harcourt, who is handling the matter and has adjourned to Tuesday, 6th August 2013.
The statement noted with disdain, the plot to drag and further implicate the state judiciary in a clear criminal case of attempted murder, saying it has confirmed earlier claims and fears that Governor Rotimi Amaechi and his cohorts are doing all within their power to let Chidi Lloyd off the hook while his victim, Michael Chinda is dying in a London hospital.
“Why run to faraway Ahoada when the offence for which Hon Lloyd was arrested was committed in Port Harcourt,” the party asked.
“The presence of Amaechi’s Commissioner for Agriculture and top aides of the governor of Rivers State in court today, was premeditated to set Chidi Lloyd free. The Ahoada High Court presided over by Justice Charles Wali lacks jurisdiction to hear the matter, and above all lacks power to order the release of Chidi Lloyd in a criminal case that the suspect is not before him and plea not taken.”
This development, the statement added, is most unfortunate, shameful and unacceptable to Rivers people, noting that both Amaechi, Lloyd and Justice Wali belong to the same camp and share same sentiments.
“The party has therefore urged the National Judicial Council (NJC) to as a matter of public importance initiate an immediate investigation into the activities of Justice Charles N. Wali of the Ahoada High Court with a view to unearthing the reasons behind the order, which was further ridiculed by succumbing to change the earlier condition that Chidi Lloyd should be stripped of his international passport to only handing in the photocopy of it, so that he would proceed overseas for medical check-up as argued by his lawyers,” the statement added.
“We should also not lose sight of the far-reaching implications of this abuse of the judicial process where an application touching on an attempted murder suspect who is under another court, is made ex parte, heard, and its requests granted ‘in toto’ same day and even went beyond the prayers sought to foreclose further prosecution of the matter. This is a serious matter that must not be left to lie.”
