More hurdles for Sunday Igboho as Benin Republic files new charges against him
Fresh hurdles have been placed on Yoruba self-determination activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, aka Sunday Igboho’s path to freedom from detention in Benin Republic as Nigeria’s neighbouring Francophone West African country has filed fresh charges against the freedom fighter.
Speaking in an interview with BBC (Yoruba) in Cotonou, counsel to Igboho, Professor Ibrahim Salami disclosed that new charges filed against Igboho before Palaise Du Justice, Court D’Appal, in Cotonou, included, among others, illegal migration to the country, dubious connivance with immigration officers and an attempt to cause civil unrest.
According to Salami, the nine-man legal team that appeared before the court yesterday for Igboho were surprised that fresh charges were brought against him while the three earlier charges by Nigeria had been dropped.
His words: “First, the judge ruled that Sunday Igboho entered Benin Republic through an illegal means. They also want to investigate how Sunday Igboho conspired with others to enter Benin Republic through wrong means.
“They also want to know how long he has been in Benin Republic and his plans in the country. They also raised a charge on whether he wants to come and cause unrest or social disturbance in Benin Republic.”
Salami explained that trials in Beninese courts usually followed three stages. The first stage, he said, involved the prosecutor, a judge, the second stage involved a judge who would investigate the case while the the third stage involved the judge who would determine whether the accused person should be put in prison custody or not, pending the determination of his case.
Salami disclosed that the three initial allegations against Igboho that were argued at the first two stages of the trial bordered on gunrunning and stockpiling of arms to cause war in Nigeria, the second allegation on inciting people to destabilise Nigeria while the third allegation was based on alleged move by Igboho to break up Nigeria into two or three countries.
Salami said the legal team was surprised to learn that entirely new allegations were brought against Igboho at the third stage, explaining that with the new development, “Igboho now has a case with the government of Benin Republic”.
According to the Beninese lawyer of Yoruba descent, Nigeria neither filed any fresh charges against Igboho nor was the country represented at yesterday’s court proceedings in Cotonou.
The judge at the third stage, according to Salami, was the one that ruled that Igboho should be remanded in prison custody pending the conclusion of investigation into the fresh charges brought against him by Benin Republic, noting that the the case against Igboho was yet to reach the final determination stage, as the legal team would have to go back to the judge at the second stage to know the adjournment date.
Salami, however, warned that the fresh allegations against Igboho were serious crimes in Benin Republic.
Igboho and his wife, Ropo, were arrested on Monday, July 19, 2021, by the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) at the Cadjèhoun Airport in Cotonou, Republic of Benin as they made to board a flight to Germany.
The Yoruba self-determination activist was first taken to court Thursday last week and again yesterday.
Salami explained that for the legal team as well as Mrs. Ropo Adeyemo to see her husband, authorisation must be obtained from the appropriate authorities, assuring that Igboho would have access to medical care while his wife would be able to take food to him three times daily.
The counsel also stated that Igboho particularly would need medical attention because he was injured when the Department of State Security (DSS) in Nigeria along with other security agencies raided his house in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, during which two persons were killed by the security agents while 13 of Igboho’s associates were arrested.
He said Igboho sustained the injury when he jumped the perimeter fence of his house to escape the raid on his house on July 1, adding that the injury prevented him from standing up for a long time yesterday in the court, a reason he was given a chair to sit down while the trial was going on.
Igboho’s German-citizen wife was set free by the court Thursday last week on the grounds that she did not commit any offence.
AbeyaNews
