Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has given a detailed account of what he describes as abusive treatment by personnel of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) during his recent arrest.
Speaking on Newsfile on Saturday, December 6, Mr Kpebu said the conduct of the officers left him shaken and has continued to affect him days after the incident.
“I’m still a bit traumatised,” he admitted, emphasising the emotional impact of the experience.
According to Mr Kpebu, the officers acted in a manner he considered intimidating and unprofessional.
He explained that the way he was confronted and taken into custody amounted to an abuse of his rights.
“The manner in which they spoke to me and handled the situation was completely unacceptable,” he said.
He noted that he expected law-enforcement officers to follow due process, not resort to tactics that could frighten a citizen.
Recounting the moment of arrest, the lawyer said he was taken aback by the officers’ abrupt actions.
Though he avoided giving graphic detail, he stressed that he felt overpowered and unfairly treated.
“It happened so suddenly, and the treatment was harsh. I felt violated as a citizen who has always respected the law,” he stated. He argued that such behaviour undermines public trust in state institutions.
Mr Kpebu also rejected claims by the OSP that he had verbally abused its officers, insisting the reverse was closer to the truth. “I never abused anyone; in fact, it was their conduct that amounted to abuse,” he told the programme. He described the OSP’s public statement as a deliberate attempt to distort events and justify the manner in which he was apprehended.
Despite the ordeal, Mr Kpebu said he remains resolute and will not be silenced by what he believes was an attempt to intimidate him for his public advocacy.
“If this can happen to me, a lawyer, then ordinary citizens are even more vulnerable,” he warned.
He called for an independent review of the incident to ensure that state institutions uphold the rights and dignity of the people they serve.
Martin Kpebu denies verbally abusing OSP officers, says allegations are fabricated.
Source: Myjoyonline
