"Why I Am Defending Evans, The Kidnapper" — Lagos Lawyer Olukoya Ogungbeje

Lagos lawyer, Olukoya
Ogungbeje, has justified his
decision to defend
suspected billionaire
kidnapper, Chukwudumeme
Onwuamadike, a.k.a.
Evans, in court.
Ogungbeje has come under
public criticisms for
accepting the brief to seek
freedom for Evans from
police detention, or have
him charged to court, weeks
after his arrest. Nigerians
had taken to the media to
condemn the move, saying,
the notorious criminal
suspect who confessed to
denying his victims their
freedom did not deserve
mercy considering the
atrocities he reportedly
committed with his gang
members.
But, speaking with Saturday
Sun yesterday, Ogungbeje,
accused a section of the
media, as well as many
Nigerians of being ignorant
of the law.
Citing a judgment delivered
by Lord Denning, regarded
as the most famous and
influential judicial figure of
the last century, he noted
that it was settled in law
that “no matter the bases of
the complaints of the cause
of your crime, no matter
how unpopular is the cause
of your crime, no matter
how bad is the cause of
your crime, the legal
practitioner has a duty to
take up the cause, if he’s
properly briefed and
provided that person
represents his client within
the bounds of law.”
He added: “That is my
answer to your question.
So, no matter the public
opinion, I have the
responsibility to take up the
matter. We were properly
briefed. So, our action is
based on law. And we want
to represent our client
within the bounds of law,
within the confines of law.
So, if you for instance,
you’re a journalist, if you
brief me… you don’t want
me to take up your cause,
because people are saying
negative things about you,
or because people have
condemned you and found
you guilty before the media,
that I should not take up
your case?
“Look, let me tell you right
away. We were briefed two
weeks ago. And I told them
to give me two weeks to
think, whether I would take
up the brief or not. I did my
consultations. We
consulted even journalists,
you can go and make
enquiries. I consulted my
people. I consulted senior
lawyers. So, have I done
what is wrong by taking the
cause of my clients? Forget
what people say in the court
of public of opinion.