Election Tribunal: Dickson opens defence, witnesses get death threats
Ajigi Olatomiwa
Emerging facts from the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Nyanya area of Abuja, have revealed that witnesses of Governor Henry Seriake Dickson and a second respondent have been receiving threats by faceless individuals and group of persons.
Dickson’s lead Defence counsel, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), who made the revelations on Monday, said it was aimed at truncating the judicial process.
He said the following telephone numbers: 08060016683 and 08134364232, were being used by one Tony Zalakuro, to perpetrate the criminal acts.
According to him, it was sad that some people could go to the extent of threatening witnesses in the ongoing trial with death telephone calls messages, adding that such threats were capable of discouraging witnesses from appearing before the Tribunal.
Oyetibo said that although the Election Petition Tribunal does not entertain criminal cases, it was imperative to intimate the Tribunal with the development for record purposes.
He therefore, called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) opposition party members to “desist from instilling fears into the minds and lives of the respondent witnesses.”
Oyetibo also called on APC not to take the laws into their hands but should ensure that decorum be maintained.
The senior counsel reiterated that his Royal Highness, (HRH) Okoro Andy has been a victim of this threat and that some houses of the defense witnesses were burgled.
Oyetibo urged the law enforcement agencies to bring the perpetrators to book “for ignorance of the law should not be not an excuse.”
Meanwhile, Dickson will open his defence on Tuesday (today) and it will be led by Oyetibo.