The House of Representatives on Tuesday called on the Nigeria Police Force to conduct a proper investigation into the alleged murder of the chief executive officer, Super TV, Usifo Ataga by Chidinma Ojukwu and refrain from parading the suspect around to grant interviews on the matter under investigation.
It also asked the inspector general of police, Usman Alkali-Baba to call all police personnel to order and ensure that there is no repeat of this violation of human rights and media access to arrested persons in the future to avoid compromising the case in a court of law.
The Green Chamber, said this is to ensure future cases are not treated in the same manner and urged the Force to ensure that Chidinma (the accused) does not die or commit suicide while in custody.
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These resolutions were sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by Tolu Akande-Sadipe (APC, Oyo) at plenary.
Moving the motion, Akande-Sadipe recalled that Chidinma Ojukwu, a 300-level Mass Communication Student of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, was arrested on Wednesday, 23rd June, 2021, over the murder of CEO, Super TV, Usifo Ataga, in a service apartment in the Lekki area of Lagos State.
She said since the arrest of Chidinma, she has been paraded around, granting interviews to various news platforms, including the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), on the matter.
The lawmaker said this has caused the internet and news media to be agog with the discussion and dissecting the matter despite the fact that the Police have already launched an investigation into the matter.
According to her; “the law of Nigeria does not allow for social media trials and matters that are sub judice (meaning before the court or not yet judicially decided) are not to be discussed by the media.
“Section 36(5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) provides that every person who is charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed to be innocent until he is proved guilty”.
The Chairman House Committee on Diaspora argued that so long as Chidinma has not been proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction, she is not to be labeled a criminal, or paraded about to conduct a series of interviews on a case currently under investigation.
She maintained that the Police should rather conduct a proper investigation and allow the court to consider the matter and make an informed judgment.
Akande-Sadipe expressed concerned that if Chidinma continues to be paraded about for a social media
trial, it could affect the determination and outcome of the case, as well as amount to a breach of her fundamental right to fair hearing, especially where she is labeled or treated as one guilty of a crime.
