A lawyer, Francis Paul Chukwuma, has recounted why he abandoned the defence of a young man accused of defiling a child after the suspect confessed to the crime.
In a post on his Facebook page, Chukwuma said the accused had repeatedly maintained his innocence, insisting he had been falsely accused. Although the story raised doubts, the lawyer agreed to take the brief, saying he wanted to conduct his own investigation first.
According to him, his findings, together with the testimony of the child’s mother in court, convinced him that the young man was guilty. 
“I confronted him immediately, and that was when he fell on his knees and admitted that he actually did it and it was the work of the devil,” Chukwuma wrote.
He said he was devastated by the confession and, at the next court sitting, informed the judge that he was withdrawing his appearance as the defendant’s counsel.
The lawyer said the accused pleaded with him not to quit the case, while his sister also made repeated appeals. He further alleged that the suspect’s brother, a lieutenant colonel in the Nigerian Navy, called to threaten him over his decision.
Chukwuma said he refused to be intimidated.
“I gave them an ultimatum to come pick their case file, or I burn it,” he wrote.
According to him, the family later demanded a refund of the legal fees they had paid, but he declined, telling them they were free to sue him. He said they eventually asked him to hand over the case file.
Reflecting on the experience, Chukwuma acknowledged the constitutional principle that every accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty and is entitled to legal representation. However, he said rape and child defilement are offences he cannot knowingly defend once he is satisfied that the accused committed them.
He disclosed that although he has represented people accused of murder and other serious crimes, sexual offences involving children remain a personal ethical red line.
Chukwuma also said he was deeply troubled after seeing a female colleague represent a married man accused of defiling a child, adding that the experience reinforced his resolve never to handle such cases when convinced of a client’s guilt. His post has sparked debate online about the tension between a lawyer’s professional obligation to provide legal representation and personal moral convictions.
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