It baffles to hear or see some top personalities who are charged with serious fund embezzlement appear in court on wheelchair. The growing cases call for attention as the accused seems to be drawing sympathy from the judge and getting away amid the stage drama.
Considering the fact that for all the period the alleged kept embezzling public fund, he never sat on a wheelchair, the court should know that the ‘wheelchair show’ is a make-belief even if the accused came with a doctor’s note to authenticate his current health condition.
Well, the wheelchair show is trending. Many, who are stealing and are being protected by their ‘friends in power’ now, are mulling same style when they eventually run out of favour and are caught by the law.
Of course, credit goes to Haliru Mohammed Bello, former chairman, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and former minister of defence, for pioneering the infamous wheelchair drama. He was alleged to have aided the diversion of N300 million slated for arms procurement by the Office of the National Security Adviser.
His arraignment at a Federal High Court Abuja on Wednesday, December, 30, 2015 was stalled due to ill-health, and on January 5, 2016, he appeared in court on a wheelchair.
As well, Olisa Metuh, former, national publicity secretary, People’s Democratic Party, recently came on a stretcher before the Federal High Court in Abuja for his ongoing trial in respect of the N400 million he allegedly received from the Office of the National Security Adviser in 2014.
On May 3, 2018, Dino Melaye, a serving senator, appeared before a Magistrates Court in Lokoja, Kogi State on a stretcher to face criminal charges against him.
Most recently, Abdulrasheed Maina, former, chairman, Pension Reform Task Team, who is facing trial over his alleged complicity in a N2 billion fraud, was brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja in a wheelchair for a continuation of his trial. It was also a show of shame when some supporters of the accused shielded him from cameras, and the accused was also seen covering his face with his palms.
With the increasing frequency of the wheelchair and stretcher drama, it is obvious that these high profile Nigerians are doing everything possible to evade justice.
The pranks seem to work for them as the loophole in the judicial system allows for delays and adjournments that allow the accused to buy time, seek easy settlement or intervention from some of their collaborators who are not yet caught or are in power.
Many think that if criminal trial for the accused is fast, if the many convicted are jailed, if the embezzled funds are recovered, properties bought or built with it confiscated, displayed and donated to social housing scheme, there will be no need to steal in the first place.
But while the loophole persists in the judicial system, the accused will keep inventing more pranks to evade justice.
It is also curious that those who lived larger-than-life just yesterday on the wealth that belongs to all, suddenly becomes vegetable as soon as the long arm of the law catches them. Is it not just vanity?
