THISDAYonline

Lagos Lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), was yesterday accused of gun running, high handedness against his staff and of pretending to be a human rights activist.

In a 55-point sworn affidavit deposed to at the Lagos High Court Registry, Lucky Keyamo, junior brother of Lagos Lawyer, Mr. Festus Kayamo, accused Fawehinmi of supplying arms to the Biafran Army during the civil war through the then deputy leader of the defunct Biafran Republic, General Philip Effiong, and demanded that he should apologise to Nigerians within one week for allegedly illegally dealing in arms and ammunition and encouraging war within the Nigerian nation.

Lucky claimed in the affidavit that he was provided the facts and information, backed with documents, by his brother, Festus, who was not only close to the human rights activist but worked in his chambers for three years.

He challenged Gani to sue him to court if the allegations "I have made against him are false", declaring that he was ready to go jail if they are found to be false. He said he wants to bring Gani to justice and to declare him unfit as a presidential candidate, sure that the human rights activist was not only a "gun runner" but "there is the likelihood that he is presently involved in such an illegal business."

In a swift reaction last night, both Festus Keyamo and Gani dismissed the claims of Lucky in the affidavit as false.

Festus Keyamo, in a telephone discussion with THISDAY, dismissed his brother (Lucky) simply as "a mental case and should be ignored". On the allegation, Gani said that he had never been ever involved in gun running, saying he was in prison for most part of the Nigerian civil war years.

"Well, I don't know this young man I have never set my eyes on him before. I think if he says that Festus Keyamo, his brother, told him all these about me, it is only proper to go to Festus to find out or General Philip Effiong he said, was involved in gun running with me, if he is still alive.

"Nigerians know that I am not a fake crusader I have never been convicted for any dubious offence in my life.

"For most part of the civil war, I was in detention, I was not around. How could I have been purchasing guns for Biafrans while I was in prison? I have never met Philip Effiong in my life, I don't know him. If he says he has documents to support his claims, let him do so, they should be published while the Effiong is still alive. If these documents exist, I will like to be tried, if found guilty be executed.

"If he has not done so, this affidavit he has sworn to should be sent to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) and the state Security Service (SSS) for proper investigation and if the claims are found to be true, I should be arrested, and tried. But I know that they are not true. It is absolute nonsense. I know all these things are the handwork of Obasanjo and co. But let it be known that I will fight the non-registration of my party, the National Conscience Party (NCP), to the end and it will not only be registered, it will contest the presidential election", Fawehinmi said.

He denied being a member of the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity, saying he was not only born into a Muslim family, his father took Islam to Ondo State and that his family members do not fraternise with the Ogboni.

On Festus Keyamo, Gani said he did his National Youth Service in his chamber between 1994 and 1995 and never worked for him for three years.

He said he was sure that Festus never told him(Lucky) those things he claimed in the affidavit, saying: "I know him, he is a gentleman".

He similarly dismissed charges of sexual harassment of his female workers and dismissing those of them who refused to sleep with him. Gani called one of them, Cecilia Onyeiwu, who was claimed in the affidavit to have been sexually assaulted by him to speak to THISDAY on the truth or otherwise of the claim. Onyeiwu said she did know Lucky Keyamo and dismissed the claim, saying: "I am working in this (Gani's) chambers. I have never met anybody by the name Lucky Keyamo before".

He also refuted charges of high handedness levelled against him.