Persons of Interest (POIs)
who were indicted by the recommendations of the somewhat controversial
Commission of Inquiry (COI) and the accompanying government’s White Paper
recently released, are reportedly urged to file an appeal at the Appeals Court
to prove their innocence, else they run the risk of being guilty as charged.
Already, the 90 days
ultimatum for POIs to seek redress at the Appeals Court is slowly elapsing and
very few individuals mentioned in the said report have so far reportedly filed
an appeal at Appeals Court.
However, what has become a
serious concern expressed by some POIs, the international community and members
of the public is the usual delay in dispensing justice. As it is popularly
said, justice delayed is justice denied. It is one thing to file a matter with
the Appeals Court but it is totally a different ballgame altogether to have the
court sit on the matter and give ruling at a record time.
The international community
is reportedly urging the judiciary to ensure that it expeditiously try matters
filed at the Appeals Court and deliver justice at a record time.
As it stands, whatever
report issued by the COI and the accompanying government’s White Paper are mere
recommendations and as a matter of fact, the COI is not a court and therefore
has no powers to pass judgement.
In the absence of a speedy
trial at the Appeals Court, the POIs, guilty or not, remain guilty as charged.
Already, they have been treated as though they are all State criminals even
before judgement day. Some who may, after the Appeals Court hearing, come out
to be innocent would have already suffered as their good images have already
been tainted by the recommendations contained in the COI report. Is the
government going to compensate those who may be found not guilty at Appeals
court? Is the question that is on the lips of most political analysts.
It is said that an
individual is presumed innocent until he or she is found guilty at a REPUTABLE
court of law. Already, the POIs have been punished without them been found
guilty on allegations heaped on them. They have been slammed travelling ban;
their movement restricted; their bank accounts freeze and few of them who were
in government service asked to step aside, pending investigations.
Much as it is advisable for
POIs to seek redress at the Appeals Court, it is also but important that the
matters filed at the court be expeditiously tried and justice delivered in the
name of fair play as that is the beauty of democracy and rule of law in their
strictest sense.
