Criminal Litigation
Arrested on a Friday: the first six hours
Almost everything that damages a defence happens before a lawyer arrives — and most of it is voluntary.
HBHalima Bala
05 — Practice area
Criminal defence lawyers in Lagos
Almost everything that damages a defence happens before a lawyer arrives, and most of it is voluntary. We act in economic and general crime matters, from the first six hours after an arrest through trial and appeal — and, often, to a resolution reached before any charge is filed.
Arrest, detention and bail
Attendance at the station, advice before any statement is recorded, and bail applications prepared with the sureties, identification and address evidence already assembled rather than started on Monday.
Economic and financial crime
Investigations and prosecutions by the EFCC and other agencies, including asset restraint and the corporate exposure that follows an investigation into a director.
Trial defence and appeals
Defence at trial and appeals against conviction or sentence, built on the weakness in the charge that the drafter already knows is there.
Quiet resolution
Where the facts allow it, matters resolved through representations before a charge is ever filed — which is cheaper, faster and does not appear on a public record.
Common questions
What should I do if I am arrested in Nigeria?
Say less than you think you should, ask for counsel before making a statement, read anything before you sign it, and never sign a blank or partially completed page. Call one person who can instruct a lawyer and hold documents.
How quickly can bail be arranged?
It depends on the charge, the court and the day. A Friday arrest compresses the window in which a court can be reached, which is why the first hours matter more than most people expect.
Do you take matters before a charge is filed?
Yes. Representations made during an investigation are often the most valuable work in a criminal matter, and the least visible.
Writing on criminal litigation
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Former prosecutor. Now spends her days undoing the case files she once built.
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