The Nigerian Bar Association has waded into the lingering case involving 15 former domestic workers of ex-first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, who have remained in detention for six years over alleged theft of jewellery and other valuables.
A top official of the association, who spoke to Sunday PUNCH on Saturday, said the NBA was also engaging with Mrs Jonathan to resolve the matter.
Our correspondents had reported that 15 aides of the former first lady were held in the Okaka Custodial Centre, Bayelsa State, for allegedly stealing jewellery from Mrs Jonathan.
Those affected are 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, and Sahabi Lima.
The defendants were brought before the High Court of Bayelsa in 2019.
They were accused of stealing seven gold bangles and jewellery, five Samsung air conditioners, two sets of upholstery chairs, and six Samsung flat-screen televisions valued at N200m.
They were also slammed with 18 counts bordering on conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit felony to wit: armed robbery, conspiracy to commit felony to wit: burglary and stealing, among others.
A top official of the NBA, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the matter was in court, disclosed that efforts were ongoing to resolve it.
The source disclosed that the association had begun engagement with key stakeholders, including legal representatives, the Bayelsa State Government, and the former first lady.
“We have reached out to the former first lady. We have reached out to some of the lawyers. We have also spoken to the Attorney General of Bayelsa State to look into the matter, and we have spoken to the lawyer of the former first lady about the possibility of resolving the matter because it is unnecessarily getting attention,” he stated.
He emphasised that the NBA was committed to ensuring that the case was resolved as quickly as possible and that the rights of all parties were protected.
“We will continue to speak with the parties. The Attorney General has promised that he will look into the matter and get back to us, and we have spoken to the chairman of the NBA in Yenagoa, who has told us the steps she is taking to ensure that whatever needs to be done is done,” the source added.
He noted that certain factors had contributed to the slow pace of the case, including the birth of a child by a defendant and the insistence of defence lawyers on a trial-within-trial procedure.
“There are many defendants who have different lawyers, and so each of the lawyers has to cross-examine people, and that is what is causing the delay. At some point, one of the defendants even had a baby, which affected the speed of the case,” he stated.
While acknowledging the sensitive nature of the matter, the official urged the judiciary to offer clarity to the public on the status of the matter.
“I think the court should also put out its own story and explain what is happening,” he added.
Prison head warns detainees
Meanwhile, a source told Sunday PUNCH that the controller of the Bayelsa Custodial Centre warned the inmates against divulging information to the public.
The source said, “This morning, the head of the Okaka Custodial Centre called them to say that anyone who knows who is posting news of their detention online should be asked to stop. He said the action would worsen their case.
“He stated that it was posted online that he (controller) and others had a meeting with Patience Jonathan, but he clarified that he does not know the former first lady and they had never met. He also mentioned that they falsely accused him of torturing them. He asked them if he had tortured any of them.”
Also, one of the defendants refuted the claim that a pregnant detainee was causing the delay in the trial.
According to the inmate, the lady in question, Wariboko Salomi, a sickle cell patient, was granted bail due to her pregnancy.
The source added, “Her (ex-first lady) relative was at the police station with us, but they released him because he was a witness in one of her cases. Even some policemen who were securing the house were detained. But later, the CSO, Colin Otutu, said they were the ones securing and staying inside the compound. He instructed that they should be released.”
Husband divorces detainee
In an interview with Sunday PUNCH, Gladys Achese, the sister of one of the detainees, Tamunosiki, revealed that her sister’s husband divorced her after she spent years in prison.
She said, “After their marriage in February 2018, my sister wanted to quit her job, but her husband asked her to continue until October, telling her that since they had just married, it would help cover their expenses. She continued working. When she was ready to stop in October, he asked her to continue until December, explaining that it was because the year was almost ending. This almost caused problems for them.
“When December came, she stopped working forcefully, as he was unhappy that she quit. Up until the time of her arrest, they were living together. Since her arrest, the husband and his family have not reached out to our parents or visited our house to inquire about my sister. He did not go to the prison to visit his wife. He only went with his mother directly to the former first lady, and she called for my sister to be brought to her residence. It was in 2022 that he sent divorce papers to my sister in prison, and that is how their marriage ended.”
