Alleged rights violation: Austrian sends SOS to AGF

An Austria National has called upon the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN to save him from further harassment and intimidation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Mr Wolfgang Reinl who wrote through his lawyer Mr Emeka Obegolu, former Secretary General of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) said he was arrested on December 28th, 2015 and had since remained in detention since then.

“Our client has been in detention at the Wuse 2 office of the EFCC from the 28th 0f December, 2015 to today the 8th of January, 2016 without any hope getting administrative bail as envisaged under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015,” the letter reads.

The Austrian is alleging that EFCC had violated his fundamental rights as enshrined in all known national and international laws, treaties and charters.

His lawyer is appealing to the minister to intervene in “this act of brazen violation of the fundamental rights of a foreign national in the hands of agency’s of the Federal Government of Nigeria which portrays Nigeria as a country without respect for her own laws and the human rights of individuals living and carrying on business in it.”

Obegolu reminded the minister that an accused should be presumed innocent until his guilt had been proved.

According to him, in a democratic society such as we live in, the rule of law should apply to all and sundry.

He asked the minister to direct that the Austrian be either released on bail or be charged to court if he had committed an offence instead of keeping him unconstitutionally.

He also asked that all items taken from his house be returned to him.

The letter further reads: “We request that our client who the law presumes innocent, be released on bail forthwith and his personal properties returned to him, without prejudice to the prerogative of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission or Ministry of Justice to charge him to court where possible commission of a crime is disclosed from investigation.

“Your courageous intervention as the chief law officer of the federation can only send the correct signal to all and sundry that Nigeria practices democracy in its purest form devoid of extra judicial acts.”