A legal practitioner, Silas Onwugbonu, of the Deji Adeyanju and Partners, has announced his withdrawal from representing a bolt driver, Steven Abuwatseya, in the alleged assault case against House of Representatives member, Alex Mascot Ikwechegh.
The withdrawal followed a public apology issued by Abuwatseya to the lawmaker, where he urged Nigerians to move on from the incident.
In a statement on Friday, Onwugbonu said the withdrawal is in light of the recent development and his client’s unwillingness to proceed with the case.
The statement read in parts, “On October 28, 2024, Mr. Steven Abuwatseya walked into our law firm, visibly distressed, and sought redress over an alleged assault.
“Following his complaint, and having verified his claim, we took steps to protect Mr. Steven Abuwatseya’s right, culminating in the arraignment of the alleged assaulter.
“However, in view of recent developments and after careful consideration, we have made the decision to withdraw our legal representation in other to protect our professional integrity and maintain the highest ethical standard in the legal profession.
“We wish Mr. Steven Abuwatseya the very best, while we assure the general public of our continuous commitment towards protecting the rights of the oppressed and indigent members of the society.”
NewsNGR had reported that on October 28, the bolt driver was allegedly assaulted by the lawmaker when he went to deliver a package to him.
Abuwatseya, who recorded the incident at the lawmaker’s residence in Maitama, Abuja, alleged that the lawmaker had slapped and tore his shirt in the process.
The viral video showed Mr. Ikwechegh shouting at the bold driver and even threatening to make him “disappear” after the driver asked him to come outside and pick up his delivery.
Following the incident, Ikwechegh was arrested and arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Kuje, Abuja, where he was granted bail of N500,000.
He also issued a public apology, acknowledging his actions and expressing regret over his behaviour during the altercation.
In a message posted on Instagram, the lawmaker apologised to the Bolt driver, the Nigeria Police Force, and the National Assembly, admitting that his actions did not meet the standards expected of a public official, regardless of the provocation involved.
However, in a shocking turn of events, the bolt driver apologised to the lawmaker and thanked everyone who stood by him throughout his travails.
He stated, “Good day, Nigerians. My name is Stephen Abuwatseya. I had a misunderstanding with Rt. Hon. Alex Mascot Ikwechegh a few days ago. I actually want to apologize to him for whatever I must have said or done to provoke him to that level of anger.
“I want to tell Nigerians that it’s not time for us to start dividing ourselves based on religion, tribes, or regions. We should actually come together, see how we can unite this nation, and move it forward.
“Please, Nigerians, let’s forgive and forget, as it’s even contained in our Lord’s Prayer, that ‘Lord, please forgive us, as we forgive those who trespass against us.’ For there is no justice without forgiveness. Thank you very much.”
The driver also thanked his family and well-wishers for their support over the issue, “I want to use this medium to thank my family members, my parents, my brothers, my uncles and everybody that stood by me. I want to thank all of you. I love you all. Thank you. God bless Nigeria.” he concluded.