How FHC Deputy Court Registrar demanded for 1m bribe before allowing Bail granted by the Court – Lawyer to Incarcerated Whittle Blower
The counsel to the detained whistle-blower in Anambra State who accused two senior police officers in the state of organ harvesting, is trading words with a Deputy Court Registrar at the Federal High Court, Awka, over the allegation of N1 million bribe to effect the release of his client.
The whistleblower, Daniel Emeh, who is a member of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, with the Nigeria Police, was arrested in connection with allegations of a case under investigation by the Force Headquarters in which the police officers were alleged to be involved in human organ trafficking, kidnapping and killing of suspects after extorting them.
Emeh, an Information Technology (IT) expert, was also alleged to be impersonating the police officers while serving as a tracker in the Anambra State Police Command.
His lawyer, Justus Ijeoma, who has petitioned the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court over the continued detention of his client despite court bail, accused the Deputy Chief Registrar, Federal High Court, Awka, Nkem Mba, of unprofessional conduct in processing his client’s bail.
In the petition copied to the Administrative Judge, Federal High Court, Awka Division, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Ijeoma alleged that DCR Mba was deliberately refusing to process the bail of his client because his client refused to pay N1 million she demanded.
But in a swift reaction, Mba denied the allegation, saying she does not have to collect bribe to perform her official duties.
According to the DCR, It was the father of the boy (Emeh), who offered her a bribe in the presence of her staff, adding that she rejected the bribe.
“The bribe was offered in the presence of my staff and I rejected it. I don’t know whether it was one naira, two naira, or three naira”, the DCR said.
Mba said that Emeh had not been released because he had not met his bail conditions, stressing that any day he would meet his bail conditions, she would forward his name to the Judge accordingly for action.
She also threatened to report the lawyer’s allegation to the police.
