Melaye’s Arraignment In A Stretcher Unacceptable, Says Falana

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Femi Falana, has described the arraignment of Senator Dino Melaye in a stretcher as unacceptable in a civilised society.

In a press statement received by Channels Television on Thursday, Mr Falana said the action of the police violated the fundamental rights of the lawmaker.

Senator Melaye, the lawmaker representing Kogi West senatorial district, was said to have been re-arrested by the police after he was arraigned on Wednesday at a Magistrate Court in Abuja.

He was consequently arraigned earlier today (Thursday) on a stretcher by the police before the Magistrate Court in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital over allegations of conspiracy and aiding of jailbreak.

Reacting to Melaye’s arraignment, Falana said, “It is particularly degrading and humiliating as it violates the fundamental right to the dignity of his person guaranteed by Section 34 of the Constitution and Section 7 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

“Even though the Senator has my sympathy, it is indistinguishable that he has only been given a little dose of the humiliating treatment that is daily meted out to the flotsam and jetsam of our unjust society by the Nigeria Police Force and other law enforcement agencies in Nigeria.”

The human rights lawyer, however, asked the National Assembly not to treat the lawmaker’s case in isolation.

He also urged them to call for the release of the Shiites’ leader, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, and his wife, as well as the former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd), in line with the valid and subsisting orders of competent courts.

Falana further asked the National Assembly to take advantage of Senator Melaye’s case to adopt and domesticate the United Nations Minimum Standard for the Treatment of Criminal Suspects in Nigeria without any delay.