Ibrahim Mantu election wayo confession go dey hard to prosecute - lawyer
Former deputy Senate President Ibrahim Mantu, wey represent Plateau State for di Nigeria National Assembly, shock Nigerians wen im confess for Channels TV say im don rig election for im political party, di Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP), before-before.
Ibrahim Mantu say true-true, im don bribe election officials before Mantu talk how im bribe officials of di Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) and security pipo dem to use wuru-wuru help PDP win elections when im dey active for politics. Tori be say Mantu don become 'born again' politician and na wetin dey ginger am to wan free im mind from all di bad-bad tin im don do before-before. But since im come out on top dis rigging tori many Nigerians don ask different questions on top di mata wey include; wetin Mantu do na crime? And if so, im suppose face law? Election wayo na crime? According to di Criminal Code, Penal Code and di Nigeria Electoral Act for 2010, election wayo na crime wey court fit punish pesin with prison and fine. Law talk say one of di best weapon authorities fit use to catch, prosecute and send accused pesin go prison na wen im use im own mouth confess di crime wey im don do. So wen pesin confess crime and authorities fit properly present dis mata to court and di accused pesin stand by dis confession, na case closed be dat. INEC officials Dis go mean say wetin Mantu do na serious offence and im fit face prosecution but Barrister Uche Uwazuruonye, wey be constitutional lawyer, tell BBC News Pidgin say e no go easy to carry Mantu go court. Confession for TV, no be di same tin as confession for court Uwazuruonye talk say because Mantu confess for TV no mean say police fit use am as automatic evidence, carry am go court. ''Police no fit use information dem see like dis weda na newspaper or television as confession, and carry accused pesin go prison. No be so di tin dey work. Dem no fit use am for evidence for court because im no talk am under oath. Mantu fit change wetin im talk at any time. Dis na why police must follow due process to get conviction.'' "Police must prove say true-true Mantu rig election as im talk and one of di first tin dem need to do be say dem must get am to write dis confession wen dem invite am for questioning. Im must mention di name of oda pipo wey get hand inside di wayo of rigging because na collabo sometin. Im must show how di money wey im supply for di illegal runs move from pesin to pesin complete with bank account information sef." Dis na wen police fit arrest and charge Mantu go court. Police must also get di accused to talk dis confession for court wen im dey under oath but na by im own choice. Uwazuruonye talk say: "di mata fit get k-leg if at any time, Mantu do u-turn and talk say e no true im rig election, e mean say police no get any case be dat". ''Anoda wahala be say, even though confession dey very strong to prosecute accused pesin, gofment lawyers must show say without any mistake dem sure say, dem dey correct and na di investigators get to show dem dey very sure.'' Last-last Uwazuruonye talk say as for INEC officials wey Mantu implicate, di commission get dia own rules so dey too suppose investigate di mata for dia domot, dem suppose get committee wey go investigate and punish di accused pipo weda na to reduce dia rank, nack dem suspension or even expel dem but police also must enter di mata because na serious crime.