The Nigeria Bar Association, Osogbo branch, has called on the Osun Police Command, to investigate the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Wale Egbedun for an alleged alleged assault on a lawyer and a court bailiff.
Although Egbedun has denied the allegation, he stands accused of preventing the execution of a court judgement and supervising the assault on the lawyer, Yusuf Adesina and the bailiff by one of his aides.
In the petition, dated July 5, 2024 and signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Yemi Abiona and Ibrahim Hassan, the the NBA branch said the speaker perverted a court judgement.
The petition said: “Our said colleague, Muideen Yusuf is one of the Counsels for the Gbaemu Royal family of Osogbo and the Plaintiff/Judgment Creditor in Suit NO: HOS/92/2021 PRINCE OLALEKAN SALAMI V.s THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR, OSUN STATE & ORS, in which judgment was delivered in 2022.
“Consequent upon the said judgment and the refusal of the judgment debtors including the Governor of Osun State and others to deliver peaceful possession of the piece of land which was the subject of litigation, our colleagues rightly commenced the process of executing the said judgment. Approval was thereafter given by the appropriate Court officials after which police protection was sought and granted by your humble self.
“Mr Egbedun’s action of deliberate obstruction of execution of the valid judgment of the Court of competent jurisdiction can be likened to the situation of waging war against the judicial arm of the state and waging war against the state which is criminalised under Section 37 (2) of the Criminal Code, Cap 2, Laws of Osun State. It is an act of abuse of office contrary to the provision of Section 104 of the Criminal Code.
“The assault on our colleague is also criminalised under the criminal code law for which your office is mandated to investigate and any culprit brought before a competent court for prosecution. Mr Egbedun cannot in any way be above the law and his actions on July 5, 2024, be subjected to thorough investigation and subsequently refer to the appropriate court for prosecution.”
