Lawyer petitions Lagos Attorney General, accuses DPP of delaying trial of 15 Chinese nationals

By Innocent Anaba

A lawyer based in Lagos, Mr. Ken Nwanna, has filed a petition with the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN, challenging the progress of his client’s case before Justice Adesanya of the Lagos High Court.

Mr. Nwanna also accused the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) of obstructing and delaying the case that has been pending since 2024. The case involves seven counts against Chinese suspects, including forgery of residence permits, human trafficking, conspiracy, misdemeanor, and conduct capable of causing a breach of the peace, as brought by the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

The lawyer, who represents the nominal complainant, alleged that the prosecution of the defendants in case No: LD/24383C/24, IGP vs Wang Kepeng & 16 Ors, has been deliberately frustrated. The case is being prosecuted by the Inspector General of Police.

According to Mr. Nwanna, the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) in Abuja had thoroughly investigated the matter before the charges were filed in the Lagos High Court. The FCID found that, after establishing a prima facie case, the Chinese suspects had forged Nigerian expatriate quotas and residence permits for their own legal use. This discovery led the police to file criminal charges against them at the Lagos High Court.

He further stated that since 2024, the 15 Chinese suspects have consistently failed to appear in court for arraignment or to enter their pleas. The lawyer said that these alleged claims were part of the police investigation, which concluded that the Chinese suspects had a case to answer, prompting the charges brought before the High Court.

Mr. Nwanna also noted that while his client awaited the suspects’ appearance in court, they received a letter (LJP/MISC/2025/21) from the DPP, Lagos, through the AG’s office. The letter requested a duplicate copy of the case file for “review and legal advice,” despite the DPP being aware that the IGP was prosecuting the case.

He said, “Our client is constrained to question whose interests the DPP is seeking to protect in this matter. We respectfully submit that any attempt, whether directly or indirectly, to frustrate or shield these high‑profile foreign nationals from prosecution would neither serve the public interest nor the interest of justice, and may amount to an abuse of legal process.”

“The defendants, rather than submit themselves to the jurisdiction of the court and defend the allegations against them, appear determined to evade trial entirely through petitions and backdoor interference. We respectfully submit that the Office of the Attorney General, being a sacred public institution, must not be seen as encouraging or lending credence to any form of abuse of power or corrupt influence,” the lawyer added.

He argued that the charges against the Chinese suspects involve human trafficking, a federal offence that falls outside the state’s prosecutorial powers under Section 211(1)(a) of the Nigerian Constitution, 1999, as amended. He pleaded with the AG, saying, “In view of the foregoing, we respectfully urge your office to allow the due process of law to take its full course without interference, obstruction or any appearance of compromise.”

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