A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Jibrin Okutepa has called for the prosecution of Senator Elisha Ishaku Abbo for criminal misconduct despite his apology.
The SAN said the wrong signal would be sent that Abbo is above the law if he not punished for assaulting a woman.
Okutepa said: “As a lawyer trained to defend and prosecute offenders, the apologies of this senator constitute an admission of criminal act, and he should be charged and duly tried. Our criminal law has been violated.
“The defendant has confessed. He must be punished for that criminal misconduct for it to serve as a deterrent to others.
“While it is within the province of ecclesiastical doctrine to forgive sinners, we must avoid allowing those who transgressed our criminal laws escape punishment they richly deserved on mere apologies.”
Okutepa wondered whether the apologies would remedy the dirty slaps received by the hapless woman.
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“Our humanity has been degraded. Will the apologies atone for the criminal conduct of battery and assault he repeatedly meted on the woman?
“I think this Senator is playing on the emotional intelligence of Nigerians. Nigerians being whom we are, easily forgive and forget wrongs done to us. That is why our society remains backwards. The absence of sanctions is what makes this great country live in poverty in the midst of abundant resources.
“How can a man in his right senses slap a woman and hope to get away with it because he thinks Nigerians are quick to forgive?
“The criminal justice system will be suffering injustice and ridicule if this man is not prosecuted. The senator must also pay compensation to the lady he assaulted.
“Apologies though accepted is not enough to atone for the show of shame and criminality displayed in the video,” the SAN said.
Okutepa praised Premium Times for the story.
“The press must be at the forefront of holding our public officers accountable. Enough of journalistic docility or partisanship. The duty of the fourth estate of the realm is to inform, educate and entertain. We must encourage the press to do so,” Okutepa added.
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