THE ATTACK ON MIKE OZEKHOME, MY TAKE – BY MONDAY UBANI

Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN. 

That Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, was booed yesterday at an event organized by NBA Ikeja to celebrate late Chief Gani of blessed memory was very unfortunate. It is condemnable and clearly unacceptable. We should not degenerate to that level despite the situation on ground. Everyone accused of crime today in Nigeria is presumed innocent until the contrary is proved in the court of law and therefore such a defendant is entitled to be defended by a lawyer of his or her choice. That is the current jurisprudence in Nigeria. It is the duty of the Prosecutor to assemble and marshall his facts and evidence to convince the court of the guilt of the Defendant and the proof must be beyond reasonable doubt while the Defendant is entitled to be heard and defended by a lawyer of his or her choice. 

That a lawyer should be booed, jeered at because it is alleged that he defends "corrupt persons" is unacceptable, bad, uncultured and reprehensible. It is not the route for us to go because it will mean criminalizing a professional duty which we all condemn when doctors are not allowed to treat armed robbers.

Please, please ladies and gentlemen we must not degenerate as a people, it is a plea. That Ubani chooses tomorrow not to handle matrimonial or criminal cases, it will be by choice. Chief Ozekhome SAN may have his excesses but he is still a human being and not God. Lawyers should not be made endangered species in the line of duty…BIKO!