Lawyer detained for seeking client’s bail hospitalised, seeks justice

A Lagos-based legal counselor, Olumide Sonupe, has been hospitalized after he was said to have been confined by the police while looking for the bail of his client at the Moshalashi Police headquarters in the Alimosho region of the state on December 30, 2023.

the 36-year-old Olumide was taken to the medical clinic when his wellbeing crumbled upon his delivery from the police headquarters on January 1, 2024 subsequent to enjoying two evenings with his client in the police cell.

It was discovered that the occurrence happened when Olumide went to the station on December 30 to look for the bail of his client, a craftsman, who had been confined for the supposed break of agreement.

a client had paid Olumide’s client to make a few seats. In the wake of making the seats, the client purportedly would not take the seats on the grounds that the seats were not equivalent to the plans he had sent. The client was said to have revealed the make a difference to the police and the woodworker’s presence was mentioned.

He said, “They said they planned to keep my client. I met with Supol Grace, the Investigating Police Officer, and informed her that the matter was nothing but a civil matter. I asked that we ought to attempt to genially settle it. I talked with the craftsman, and he said he would get N50,000 toward the finish of January and the excess equilibrium of about N162,000 when he sold the seats. Everybody in question concurred. They requested N30,000 for bail and required him to write an undertaking. Notwithstanding a few requests, they rejected.

“I asked that I see the craftsman in his cell. While conversing with him, the Initial public offering said she planned to bring POS for the installment of the N30,000. I encouraged the woodworker to offer them N5,000 yet he said they could dismiss it and that he would give them N10,000.”

The another female official who was not around when the Initial public offering requested that he stay with his client came in and blamed him for being with a confined suspect without the presence of an official.

He stated, “I told her not to touch me. She started poking her fingers on my chest.” She referred to me as an ineffective charge-and-bail attorney and threatened to headbutt me. The Divisional Cop, Austin Arase, came and blamed me for affronting the officials. Before I could talk, he lifted his hand trying to slap me. I let him know he wouldn’t even consider doing that to a legal counselor and an individual from the NBA. He cut his give over and requested that they secure me. He held one finish of my pants, another male cop and the Initial public offering lady held my garments and they generally hauled me to the phone region. They pushed me into the cell after removing my clothes and everything else I was carrying with force.

The legal advisor said his sibling was educated. As per him, the police told his sibling he was being confined on the grounds that he endeavored to incapacitate an official.

He stated, “The following morning, my brother and my aunt arrived and began pleading for my release.” When he saw me, my brother told me to do as they asked. They took me to the DPO’s office. I saw that there was a video screen to watch everything happening in the station through the CCTV cameras.

While composing the assertion, they inquired as to why I went after the DPO. In shock, I claimed that the DPO wanted to slap me. I additionally remembered for the explanation that there were cameras around and the video accounts would effectively defend myself.

“We returned to the DPO in the wake of perusing the assertion. He said they ought to secure me once more, which they did. My auntie likewise came and requested that I pull out my proclamation. After such a lot of talk, I followed her higher up and met the DPO once more. The DPO said I ought to plunk down and asked me what happened the earlier day. I told the whole story. The DPO requested that they bring a Maltina drink for me.”

Nonetheless, when his sibling and auntie chipped in, the DPO was said to have dismissed them.

“He said he can’t permit a lady to be a guarantee and he could acknowledge my sibling however I expected to bring a government employee. He declined my aunt’s claim that she works for the government. She contacted someone, and when he arrived, the DPO informed us that he was on his way somewhere, so we needed to wait. We sat tight for a really long time yet he didn’t show up around 10pm,” Olumide said.

that Olumide’s client who had been delivered on bail was re-captured before he could leave the station and was secured with Olumide in a similar cell.

He said, “The next morning, the Region Commandant showed up around 4am and blamed me for attacking the DPO. He said they would charge me to court the next day. I was assisted up by a female officer who was with me, and they returned me to my cell. A few minutes after the fact, they came to call me in line with the Area Officer. I let them know I was unable to walk. I was in serious agony.

“The officer returned, and two officers came back and said that I had disrespected the Area Commander,” I was told. I told them that I wanted to come, but that I needed help walking because my legs were shaking. They moved toward me and pulled me up yet I fell down. They carried me and assisted me in walking. The Region Administrator requested that I describe what had occurred. That’s what while doing, he requested that I draw nearer to him since he was unable to hear me. I let him know I was unable to move my legs. He ended up being irate and left.”

The Olumide was subsequently delivered in the early evening and his client was additionally said to have been bailed the subsequent time.

Olumide’s sibling, who affirmed the story, told our journalist that the proper part of the Nigerian Bar Affiliation had been educated and important advances were being taken to look for equity.

At the point when reached, the Public Exposure Secretary of the NBA, Akorede Habeeb-Lawal, said he would return to our journalist. He never did as of the hour of recording this report.

The state Police Advertising Official, Benjamin Hundeyin, affirmed the occurrence blaming Olumide for acting “without dignity”.

“Legal advisors come to police headquarters consistently without issues. He was unique. He acted without dignity,” Hundeyin added.