Posted by ACHILLEUS UCHEGBU, Deputy News Editor and OLATUBOSUN SOWEMIMO, Lagos on
BARELY 24 hours after her arrest, wife of Bayelsa State governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, Margaret was granted bail yesterday but ordered to return to a London police station in the middle of December pending further inquiries.
BARELY 24 hours after her arrest, wife of Bayelsa State governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, Margaret was granted bail yesterday but ordered to return to a London police station in the middle of December pending further inquiries.
The Press Bureau of the British Metropolitan Police which confirmed her release however refused to disclose the exact date she will appear before it.
But reacting to Mrs. Alamieyeseigha's ordeal, legal luminary Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) said her arrest is in order if indeed she committed an offence.
Margaret was picked up by operatives of the Metropolitan Police Tuesday morning at her husband's Edgware Road residence in South-West London.
However, responding to Daily Champion inquiries on the issue through e-mail, the British Police said the woman arrested on Tuesday (8/11/05) in connection with an ongoing inquiry into money laundering was released on bail to return to a London police station on a date in December pending further inquiries.
We do not identify people arrested unless they have been charged. We therefore cannot discuss any businesses a person may or may not have.
As the inquiry is ongoing we cannot discuss the matter further at this time.
We are not obliged to supply the actual date - the woman is due back in the middle of December. I suggest you contact us at this time.
Meanwhile, Chief Fawehinmi and Mr. Bamidele Aturu, yesterday spoke in favour of her arrest.
Gani said if she has committed an offence, she ought to be arrested as law is no respecter of gender. "She is not expected to follow her husband's path. A woman is not exempted from being arrested if she has trodden in such path.
According to him, "people are in Bayelsa State dying of poverty, hunger and lack of basic amenities of life and there she is, also squandering innocent citizens' money. The British police have done a good job by arresting her. If they can't teach them sense in Nigeria, I think the British is now lending a helping hand in teaching them sense," he stated.
He said further that if she is found guilty of any offence she might have been arrested for, then she should be made to face the wrath of law.
In a separate interview, Mr. Aturu who is also a lawyer added that the case is still under investigation and everybody should wait for its outcome. "It is too early to comment on such a case but let justice be done. Alamieyeseigha's case may be a long one but the due process of law should be allowed to take its position.