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2 weeks ago
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- Fifteen erstwhile home workers of ex-First Lady Patience Jonathan person spent six years successful Bayelsa prison, without conviction
- Charged with theft and conspiracy to murder, the defendants were accused of stealing jewellery and luxury items worthy hundreds of millions
- Despite implicit 40 tribunal adjournments and the lack of cardinal witnesses, calls for justness persist arsenic Tech4Justice, a quality rights organisation advocating for the detainees, gave update
Yenagoa, Bayelsa state - Fifteen erstwhile home workers of Nigeria’s ex-First Lady, Patience Jonathan, reportedly stay successful detention astatine the Okaka Custodial Centre successful Bayelsa state, six years aft their apprehension successful transportation with an alleged burglary and theft astatine 1 of her properties.
The detainees, allegedly held without condemnation since 2019, person raised concerns implicit prolonged proceedings delays, alleged maltreatment, and deficiency of evidence.
Their case, brought earlier the High Court of Bayelsa successful Yenagoa, has reportedly suffered implicit 40 adjournments, according to a study by The Punch.
How aides were accused of theft and attempted murder
The ex-aides were accused of stealing items including 7 golden bangles, Samsung electronics, and luxury furniture, with a full estimated worth of ₦200 million.
They besides look 18 transgression counts, including conspiracy to perpetrate murder, armed robbery, burglary, and theft. Court documents allege that the defendants conspired to termination the erstwhile First Lady, a complaint their families and ineligible counsel importune is unfounded and intended to forestall bail.
Detained ex-aides said nary grounds against them
Two of the detainees who spoke to The Punch from situation expressed vexation implicit their prolonged detention and what they described arsenic systemic neglect.
“We person been successful situation since 2019. We were home unit of the erstwhile archetypal lady, Patience Jonathan. In 2019, determination was a lawsuit of breaking into 1 of her apartments successful Otuoke, and she decided to apprehension each her workers," 1 of the workers said.Another inmate alleged that they had been subjected to torture and threats.
"These radical privation to termination us. In this prison, they are threatening us. Anything you tin bash for america to permission here, delight do. When I was astatine the station, they tortured america and (threatened) they would instrumentality america to the backmost and bushed and bent us.” the inmate claimed.List of ex-aides reportedly affected
- Williams Alami
- Vincent Olabiyi
- Ebuka Cosmos
- John Dashe
- Tamunokuro Abaku
- Emmanuel Aginwa
- Erema Deborah
- Precious Kingsley
- Tamunosiki Achese
- Sunday Reginald
- Vivian Golden
- Emeka Benson
- Boma Oba
- Salomi Wareboka
- Sahabi Lima.
List of Patience Jonathan's assets ex-aides accused of stealing
- Seven golden bangles and jewellery
- Five Samsung aerial conditioners
- Two sets of upholstery chairs
- Six Samsung flat-screen televisions
Families entreaty for justice
Relatives of the detainees person appealed to the Nigerian authorities to intervene and guarantee the substance receives just and timely adjudication.
Gladys Achese, whose sister Tamunosiki is among the defendants, said the lawsuit had taken a toll connected the family.
“My parents person been shuttling betwixt Bayelsa and Port Harcourt since 2019 to spot her. I americium not saying my sister is blameworthy oregon not, but the tribunal should bash the close happening and springiness them just hearing,” she said.Steve Ibiene, member of different detainee, William Alami, said the concern had been profoundly distressing.
"No tribunal has pronounced them guilty, yet they person been successful situation for six years," Ibiene said.Patience Jonathan yet to look successful court
Several relatives impeach the erstwhile First Lady of utilizing her governmental power to stall proceedings. Boma Hubert, whose member Reginald Sunday was detained, said the complainant had not appeared successful tribunal since the lawsuit began.
Source: Getty Images
Another begetter described his son’s deteriorating wellness and the intelligence interaction connected the family.
Legal advocacy radical speaks
Legal advocacy radical Tech4Justice, frustrated by delays, said efforts to unafraid bail had been unsuccessful owed to interference and judicial delays.
Funmi Adedoyin, a ineligible subordinate with the group, said the substance had been adjourned much than 40 times betwixt 2019 and 2025.
“Many of the adjournments person been owed to the lack of constabulary witnesses. Also, the wide dilatory gait of justness successful Nigeria contributes to the delay, particularly arsenic courts went connected abrogation for respective months,” she said.Adedoyin besides criticised the charges, calling them disproportionate.
“Everyone successful the villa was arrested. The constabulary cognize that stealing is simply a bailable offence. Because of that, they charged them with different offence wholly antithetic from the alleged theft of the jewellery – conspiracy to termination Madam Patience Jonathan. This is different exposé connected what happened," she added.She said 3 of the defendants person been granted bail connected aesculapian grounds, including 1 who contracted tuberculosis. One pistillate suspect reportedly mislaid a kid portion successful custody and was incapable to be the funeral.
According to Adedoyin, the justice initially presiding implicit the lawsuit was elevated to Chief Judge of Bayelsa state, resulting successful further delays owed to administrative responsibilities. While determination has been caller question toward an accelerated hearing, advancement remains slow.
Mrs Jonathan’s campy is yet to respond to the development.
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Source: Legit.ng
