Femi Falana (SAN), a human rights attorney, has criticized the Federal Government for embracing the apologies of veteran musician KWAM 1 and intending to designate him as an ambassador.
The office of the Inspector-General of Police reportedly launched an investigation into claims that the singer spilled a flask’s contents on a pilot, a security guard, and a few other airport patrons.
But before the investigation was finished and charges were brought, the Federal Government took KWAM 1’s apologies and said that it would designate him as an ambassador for airport security procedures.
Falana responded to the situation by warning that the ruling has created a risky precedent in a statement provided to reporters.
He cautioned that the government’s moral authority to prosecute rowdy passengers had been compromised.
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“The Federal Government has forfeited its moral authority to detain and prosecute any traveler who violates the law at any airport in the country as a result of this action,” he stated.
As proof that the government’s selective treatment of such cases runs the risk of being accused of discrimination, he pointed to the recent drop of charges against Comfort Emmanson, who was charged with disorderly behavior on an Ibom Air trip.
“The government will be accused of discriminatory treatment going forward whenever it prosecutes other passengers for similar conduct, as citizens have equal rights, obligations, and opportunities before the law,” Falana continued.
The Senior Advocate emphasized that the equal legal treatment principle is violated and public trust in the legal system is damaged by pardoning KWAM 1 without a trial.
