The Civil Society Network Against Corruption is deeply concerned with the tyrannical conspiracy of the Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State and the State Judiciary, over the illegal imprisonment of Mr. Tonye Okio, a social media activist who was arrested from his Abuja home on the 26th of October 2013, based on the orders of Mr. Dickson. After his arbitrary arrest, Sir Tonye Okio was arraigned before a magistrate court on a charge of defamation. The Court however granted him a stringent and unrealistic bail on the 21st of November 2013. The bail condition was that the accused produce a surety in the standing of a serving permanent Secretary in the State.
The Civil Society Network Against Corruption is deeply concerned with the tyrannical conspiracy of the Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State and the State Judiciary, over the illegal imprisonment of Mr. Tonye Okio, a social media activist who was arrested from his Abuja home on the 26th of October 2013, based on the orders of Mr. Dickson. After his arbitrary arrest, Sir Tonye Okio was arraigned before a magistrate court on a charge of defamation. The Court however granted him a stringent and unrealistic bail on the 21st of November 2013. The bail condition was that the accused produce a surety in the standing of a serving permanent Secretary in the State.
This is in a state where the Governor reigns supreme and every innocent and positive criticism is consider an opposition. Naturally, no Bayelsa Permanent Secretary is willing to stand for Sir Tonye Okio. He his therefore left to languish in prison for almost a month as a consequence of judicial insensitivity of the Magistrate.
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On the 16th of December 2013, Sir Tonye Okio returned to a Yenagoa high court to ask for a variation of the unacceptable bail terms but that matter is yet to be decided.
It is unfortunate that public office holders, voted in to power or assume office through crooked means turn around to hunt down the masses and abuse power with impunity. Many of our political office holders lack respect for the people, corrupt the judiciary and violates the right to freedom of expression, as guaranteed by the Constitution with utmost recklessness.
Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC) is a coalition of over hundred and fifty anti- corruption organization, whose primary aim is to constructively combat corruption vigorously and to ensure the effective monitoring of the various anti-graft agencies in its activities in the fight against corruption and to enthrone transparency, accountability, probity, and total commitment in the fight to eradicate corruption in Nigeria.
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We therefore demand the immediate release of Sir Tonye Okio by the Bayelsa State Governor and his conspirators in the Bayelsa State Judiciary.
Signed
Toyin Koleade
Programme Officer
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