DELSU Rape Saga: NGO drags alleged victim’s counsel before NBA for prosecution
Thursday, July 4, 2013
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By Brisibe Perez
In what it termed as “unscrupulous practice” of the
counsel to the alleged victim of rape (name withheld) in the DELSU rape saga, Mr. Anuku Oghene-Menshach
and the CEO/Funder of Delta Women Non-Governmental
Organisation, Ms. Elsie Ijorugu-Reed, Delta Women have dragged Mr. Anuku before
the Nigeria Bar Association for prosecution.
In a letter dated July 3rd,
2013 signed by Kirthi Jayakumar, Legal Head, Delta Woman and made available to
Naija Gossips, it reads in parts, “We wish to report these malpractices to you
for your attention and involvement in bringing an unscrupulous lawyer to book.
“First, it is important to know
that the Lawyer, Mr. Anuku Oghene-Menshack is related to the girl whom he is
representing: who was the victim of the aforementioned sexual harassment. We gathered
that he is also a lecturer. These facts show an inherent conflict of interest
that his position puts him in, and we are firmly steeped in our understanding
of natural justice. By the rule of nemo iudex in sua causa, he is not allowed
to judge his own cause, nor one with which he is connected.
“When our organization reached
out to Mr. Anuku Oghene-Menshach in an attempt to secure information on the
case and to encourage him to bring out the truth, he entered into a verbal confrontation
with our founder, Ms. Elsie Ijorogu Reed. He even threatened the journalist who
sought to speak with him.
“All these were because we were
demanding what is right in this matter. This behavior is unbecoming to say the
least, and abusive in complete disregard of dignity. We implore you to
investigate the matter and take the lawyer to task to task for his detraction
from professional ethics,” the statement added.
Others copied in the petition are
the Warri Branch Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association, Ben Oji Esq, Ughelli Branch
Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association, A. E Icheghe Esq and the Asaba Branch Chairman,
Nigeria Bar Association, Oseyenim Chukwuma Esq.
It would be recalled that the
report of alleged rape in the Delta State University, Abraka between one Mr. Ifeanyi Ugwu Raphael of
the Department of Department of Theater Arts and a 400 level
female student of the same department took a different dimension following a
purported civil settlement by parties involved in the case, a scenario that didn’t
go down well with Delta Women who had earlier vow to see to the end of the
matter.
As a result of this disagreement,
Mr. Anuku and Ms. Reed where both involved in a heated war of words with both
parties threatening to settle their grievances at the law court.
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