OLASHIKU OLUWADAMILOLA REBECCA
OLABISI ONABANJO UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF LAW
OOU LAW CLINIC
The 31 inmate victory
An experience worth sharing!
During the prison visit in at the ijebu prison in Ogun state Nigeria the defendant came forward.."I have nobody,been here since 2years was caught stealing and I have nobody to help me out",I was perplex with the fact that his home town is not far away, and yet nobody stood by him nor against him.
With doubt of his story we checked his file and found out that he was charge with 30 others,with stealing and different other offences none with a legal representative because the could not afford them not even there relative's oops!
With much ado on something we went to court on the next adjourned date fully represented by our staff clinician the case was adjourned,the defendant acknowledged our presence and said his fellow co-defendants wants us on their case the all came to us with their relative's begging that we take up all and have mercy on them. So with that journey of the 31 inmate started!
We were on all fours all adjournment went all loops end tied, and on that faithful Monday morning in court the case was called after all necessary documents have been presented e.g (affidavit of good behaviour,full photographs,et all) have been filed stamped,and the prerequisites of the court met, the learned judge pronounced them free to go!
The jubilation was among was contagious,those with family came thanking....than I Saw the mother of the first defendant she came and said thank u....
I sat down and I reflected,if we had not shown up...they would have languish in jail with no assistance!
I would recommended a monthly pre-bonno cases assigned to lawyers in each jurisdiction to help free the inmates who can come to them and those who don't know that they can seek for legal aid!
Am happy to be part of this project.
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