DPA’S RIGHT TO INVESTIGATE THE CASE OF CHACHA

We use this opportunity to answer the question some have naively or mischievously asked. That question is: “How can a private person conduct an investigation into a crime in Nigeria when Nigeria does not have licensed private investigators?”

With due respect, that is a dumb question. Everywhere in the world, including Nigeria, a lawyer is duty-bound to investigate every complaint he receives before accepting to play a role in the matter. That was exactly what Gani Fawehinmi did in Dela Giwa’s case.  Aka Bashorun and Falana did it in Jennifer Maduike’s case. A lawyer must investigate every case that cones to him and follow such investigation where it leads.

Second, the case came to the DPA Founder while he was in the US.

Further, DPA started as a public interest offshoot of Eculaw Group in the US, in affiliation with Eculaw Associates Limited and Eculaw & Co. in Nigeria. DPA was registered in the US as an NGO and in Nigeria as a Foundation.

Finally, the Chacha case was investigated by DPA as a fundamental rights matter under the constitution (right to life) and according to Nigerian law, anybody (even non-lawyers can represent any victim of human rights violation). Also, DPA took on the case because it fell within the category of cases we classify as domestic violence.

So any suggestion that DPA or Emeka Ugwuonye had no right to investigate Chacha’s case is plain ignorance or outright mischief. Our organization is interested in finding what happened to Chacha and we urge the police to bury the sentiments and join hands with DPA. If the police have nothing personal in this case, then let’s find the truth together. DPA will even allow the police to claim the credit for the investigation we did. But let’s find the truth.