Kwara community accuses Attorney General’s Office of judicial bias
By Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
The people of Iwoye-Ayedun community in Oke-Ero local government area of Kwara state have accused the Office of the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice meddling in judicial matters affecting the community.
Addressing journalists on Monday in Ilorin, the state capital, on behalf of the community, Barr. Akinmade Abolarin said each time the the Obajisun, Oba Olusegun Abayomi Rotimi of Ayedun and his supporters allegedly commit a crime, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice is always available for a discontinuance of the criminal case.
Barr. Abolarin said the community filed a direct complaint at the Omu-Aran Upper Area Court in 2016 against Oba Rotimi, accusing him of allegedly forging a document belonging to the community which related to Iwoye community, adding that “to everybody’s dismay, the Ministry of Justice on 16th August, 2016 appeared with a message from the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and discontinued the case citing the power of the Attorney General under Section 211 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Another instance, he said, was the assault on Chief Adeyemi Afolayan in the community on 13th June, 2021 by two men allegedly sent by Obajisun-in-Council, Oba Rotimi, adding that the duo allegedly confessed that they were sent by the monarch, prompting their arrest and arraignment on court by the police.
He said: “On 30th September, 2021, when the case was scheduled for further mention, a Chief State Counsel from Ministry of Justice appeared, took over the prosecution of the case and presented a letter of discontinuance from the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Kwara state. The case was therefore discontinued and terminated by the Hon. Justice Muyiwa Abayomi.”
Wondering what could be the interest of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Ayedun and Iwoye matters, Barrister Abolarin said the office failed to give due consideration to public interest, interest of justice and prevention of abuse of legal process in discontinuing the cases.
He said: “The action of the Attorney general General and Commissioner for Justice in these two cases show nothing but bias, injustice, abuse of legal process and acts clearly against public interest. This type of action by an Attorney General can only lead to one ugly direction in which the citizens become so disappointed and disenchanted in the system we operate.”
The community has, however, appealed to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to caution the office of the Attorney General to exercise his powers judicially and judiciously in the interest of justice and to prevent a continued abuse of legal process. They also wanted him to be invited by the House of Assembly to explain “the Attorney General’s stand in Ayedun and Iwoye matters.”