CD Condemns Detention Of 230 Electoral Offenders

The Campaign for Democracy (CD) has condemned the continued detention and lack of proper arraignment of 230 persons held by the Anambra Police Command for alleged electoral offences.

 The 230 persons were arrested for various electoral offences during the February 6 governorship election in Anambra.

 The offences included ballot box snatching, impersonation, unlawful possession of voting materials, unlawful movement during election hours and other forms of disturbance at polling centres.

 “Most of the suspects are being subjected to inhuman treatment without charging them to a court of competent jurisdiction,’’ CD said in a statement issued by its state chairman and public relations officer, Mr Uzor Uzor and Mr ThankGod Ifeduba  in Onitsha, Anambra.

The statement faulted the state Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr Philemon Lema’s, statement that the suspects could be arraigned in court only when the judicial staff workers called off their strike.

 “This is wicked and totally not acceptable.

 “Most of these people languishing in police cell were allegedly innocent travellers who could not settle the police or who were unaware of the election taking place in the state.

 “They were labelled as criminals, ballot box snatchers, etc,’’ it said.

 The statement described the continued detention of the suspects as a violation of their fundamental human rights.

“We are calling on the CP to grant them bail with reasonable sureties who will be liable when needed by the police,’’ it said.