Falana Tackles Justice Tsoho, Says #EndSARS Protesters Not Saboteurs

Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has dismissed suggestions by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, that #EndSARS protesters are economic saboteurs.

Naija News recalls that Justice Tsoho had at the ceremony marking the commencement of the 2020/2021 legal year on Tuesday backed the order issued by Justice Ahmed Mohammed freezing the accounts of 20 #EndSARS promoters.

He revealed that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) filled hundreds of applications to tackle deliberate attempts to ruin the economy through money laundering.

“So if it was the #EndSARS people that were involved in the activities under cover then it is unfortunate for people to begin to call and vilify the court making damaging allegations against the court,” he said.

Reacting, Femi Falana recalled that CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, held a virtual meeting with the EndSARS promoters in the wake of the peaceful protests.

According to the senior lawyer, Emefiele resorted to obtaining an ex parte order to freeze the accounts of the promoters after failing to convince them to end the peaceful protest.

Falana said: “Since the application of the 20 #EndSARS promoters seeking to quash the ex parte order freezing their bank accounts is pending before the Federal High Court presided over by the Honourable Justice R.A. Mohammed, I have persuaded our clients to refrain from joining issues with the Honourable Chief Judge over the controversial ex cathedra statement.

“However, it is pertinent to state that the 20 #EndSARS were not sued as corporate bodies but as individuals whose names and bank accounts are listed in all the processes filed in the court by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“I wish to say, without any fear of contradiction that the #EndSARS protesters are not economic saboteurs but patriotic citizens who protested against incessant police brutality.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the case was filed on October 20, 2020, while the order ex parte was issued on November 4, 2020, after the #EndSARS protests.”