The Human Rights Writers Association Of Nigeria (HURIWA) has demanded the immediate release of controversial musician, Afeez Fashola aka Naira Marley.
Naira Marley was arrested following the death of his former signee, Ilerioluwa Aloba aka Mohbad.
In a statement on Sunday, HURIWA asked the Lagos State Police Command and the Director of Public Prosecution to either charge Naira Marley to court if he has any case to answer regarding the sudden demise of Mohbad or release him unconditionally.
The group criticized the police for violation of the constitutional rights of the musician and other detainees arbitrarily arrested and thrown into cells without trial in a competent court of law.
HURIWA noted that the 1999 constitution clearly states that persons arrested or detained shall be brought before a court within a “reasonable time.”
According to the group, the reasonable time means a period of 24-hours, when a court of competent jurisdiction is within a radius of 40 kilometres to the police station; or a period of two days in any other case.
Citing Section 61 (1) of the Nigeria Police Act 2020, which the group said agrees with the provisions of the Section 35(4) of the 1999 constitution, it stated that a suspect arrested without a court warrant, other than a capital offence, should be granted bail, where it is impracticable to charge him or her to court within 24 hours.
“Consequently, the detention of arrested suspects for more than 48 hours without being charged to court is against the provisions of the constitution,” it argued.
HURIWA, therefore, endorsed the position of Miss Shubomi, the sister of the embattled musician, who had expressed outrage over her brother’s detention, describing it as a human rights violation.
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