PTI Centre Mayhem: Suspension, remand deepen storm around Delta Works Commissioner
Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
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Official statement
Under investigation
- Delta State Commissioner for Works, Izeze Rume Reuben, has been suspended indefinitely and remanded in custody.
- The action follows allegations of his involvement in the assault of an aide to the state government, Simon Mudi.
- A human rights lawyer cautioned against treating the remand order as a conviction, emphasizing the presumption of innocence.
The Delta State Government has indefinitely suspended the Commissioner for Works (Highway and Urban Roads), Hon. Izeze Rume Reuben, amid allegations of his involvement in an assault. The suspension is intended to allow security agencies to conduct an unbiased investigation into the incident.
The suspension is to enable the Security Agencies carry out an unbiased investigation of allegations associating him with the assault on Temple, at the PTI Center, Effurun, recently.
The controversy centers on an alleged assault of Mr. Simon Mudi, the Senior Special Assistant on Protocol to the Delta State Government, also known as Temple. The incident reportedly occurred on July 26 at the PTI Conference Centre in Effurun. The government stated its commitment to public safety and law and order, asserting that no institution or individual is above scrutiny.
It would be foolhardy to suggest that the investigation is still being facilitated by the suspension when the investigation had already culminated in a formal criminal charge before the court.
Adding a judicial dimension to the matter, an Effurun High Court has ordered the remand of Commissioner Izeze after he was arraigned by the police in connection with the alleged assault. This development means the commissioner faces both administrative suspension and criminal proceedings.
No individual, irrespective of position, is above the law. However, the law must equally protect every individual accused of an offence.
Human rights lawyer Omes Ogedegbe welcomed the investigation but cautioned against premature conclusions. He argued that the investigation had already led to formal charges, making the suspension's role in facilitating it questionable. Ogedegbe stressed that while no one is above the law, the legal process must be followed, emphasizing the presumption of innocence until proven guilty and urging that remand orders should not be used as punishment before a trial.
remand is not a conviction and must never be used as punishment before trial.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Vanguard. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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