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| Lere Paimo |
The actor had repeatedly refused to show up in a lower court in Ilorin in the case brought against him by the Association of Nigerian Theatre Practitioners (ANTP) over the conduct of an election that returned Comrade Victor Ashaolu as ANTP president in 2010.
Upon his arrest, Eda told the officer that he was not in good condition to embark on the trip to Kwara State and begged to be allowed to come to the capital city another time.
When the actor insisted that he needed medical help, which eventually convinced the officer of the seriousness of the actor’s situation, he took him to a police clinic in Ibadan for medical attention.
Eda was admitted for a day and was taken to Ilorin the next day to face contempt charge brought against him.
In Ilorin, ANTP lawyer, Abdulganiyu Bello, appealed to the police officers, after talking to the defendant’s lawyer, to allow Eda to go back to Ibadan after begging them not to jail him as that could kill him.
The lawyer confirmed to R in a phone conversation on Thursday evening that the actor was diabetic and should be allowed to take care of himself before they could proceed on any action.
“I have explained baba’s condition to the court and he was allowed to go back home. He actually could have been jailed if not for his ill health. As regards his final freedom though, it is only the court that can decide that”, he told R.
Asked why Eda was brought to Ilorin by police officer, he said the actor had refused to respond to court summons asking him to come and answer to charges against him by Dele Odule as regards ANTP election held in Ilorin in 2010 depsite a court order against the conduct
“On several occasions, Eda refused to honour the court and the court moved against him last week. He should obey the court the next time”, he advised.
Responding to the issue of summon, Lere Paimo blamed his predicament on Jide Kosoko and promised to fight on till justice is done.
“I know those behind my problem now, especially Jide Kosoko. I will not forgive them even if I am asked to, because my spirit will not forgive me if I do what you asked as regards forgiving them if they ask me to,” he added.
Kosoko, however, said Eda got it wrong if he believed he ordered his arrest from Lagos.
“With due respect to Baba Eda, who I hold dearly, I am not behind his legal problems or any other problems he is going through.
“Someone sued those who conducted an election a court had earlier instructed that should not be held and baba is now blaming me. I am not the court. A court issued a bench warrant for his arrest, not me, not ANTP”, the president of ANTP told R.
He added that he had never been to Ilorin since the case began and had nothing to do with the case in question.
“I pity baba because of his ill health and age, bit I don’t know anything about his legal crisis’’.
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