Alleged assault: Delta suspends works commissioner, court remands him

The Delta State Government has indefinitely suspended the Commissioner for Works (Highway and Urban Roads), Reuben Izeze, over allegations linking him to the assault of Simon Mudi, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on Protocol.

Mudi, popularly known as Temple, was allegedly assaulted during an incident at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Conference Centre in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, on July 26.

The state government suspended Izeze indefinitely over alleged links to the incident, with the suspension taking immediate effect.

The decision was announced in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Kingsley Eze Emu.

According to the government, the suspension was necessary to allow security agencies to conduct an impartial investigation into allegations connecting the commissioner to the alleged assault.

The statement read: “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 government said the action reflected its commitment to public safety and the maintenance of law and order, stressing that the principle would apply “even when institutions of state are involved.”

The development coincided with reports that an Effurun High Court ordered the remand of Izeze following his arraignment by the police over the alleged assault.

The court proceedings have introduced a judicial dimension to the matter, with the commissioner now facing both an administrative suspension and criminal proceedings.

Reacting to the development, human rights lawyer Omes Ogedegbe welcomed the investigation but cautioned against interpreting the remand order as a finding of guilt.

Ogedegbe argued that the suspension could no longer be said to be facilitating an ongoing investigation because the matter had already progressed to a formal criminal charge before the court.

“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,” he said.

He maintained that while no individual was above the law, an accused person was equally entitled to the protection of their legal rights.

According to him, the commissioner was charged in connection with an allegation of attempted murder, stressing that “remand is not a conviction and must never be used as punishment before trial.”

Ogedegbe also referred to Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which guarantees the presumption of innocence for anyone charged with a criminal offence until proven guilty or until the person pleads guilty.

He urged the prosecution to ensure that any continued deprivation of the commissioner’s liberty was justified strictly in accordance with the law.

“My position is simple: Investigate where investigation is required. Charge where there is evidence. Prosecute where a case has been established. But do not punish an accused person before conviction,” he said.

Ogedegbe further noted that the suspension was an administrative measure and should not be treated as proof of criminal liability, just as the remand order should not be construed as a conviction.

“At the end of the day, the rule of law must protect both the victim and the accused. No man is above the law. But equally, no man is beneath the law,” he said.