Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju on Tuesday urged former Nigerian First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan to kindly drop the lawsuit over suspected jewelry theft after one of the suspects, Sahabi Liman, reportedly died in detention.
Adeyanju made the plea in an open letter to Dame Patience Jonathan headlined ‘Open Letter by Deji Adeyanju to Dame Patience Jonathan after the Death of Her Former Domestic Staff Standing Trial for Theft of Jewelry in Bayelsa Prison,’ which was made accessible to Chronicle NG.
He claims Liman became extremely ill in prison and died. He continued, “Death is a reminder that justice delayed so severely becomes no justice at all.”
The letter reads in full: “For more than five years now, fifteen of your former domestic staff have been standing trial over allegations of missing jewelry. They were arrested in 2019, kept in custody, and have since been dragged through the courts without resolution. Along the way, one of them, Sahabi Liman, fell seriously ill in prison and has now died. That death is a reminder that justice delayed so severely becomes no justice at all. It should also make us look again at the entire case and the toll it has taken on all involved.
“This is no longer about the stolen jewelry but about people who have been locked up and suffering for too long. Even if they had been found guilty, they would not have spent this long behind bars for such an offense. And if they are innocent, then we have all watched them suffer for nothing. Punishment must have proportion, and what is happening here is far beyond proportion.
“I therefore appeal to you as a mother figure in our nation to discontinue this case as an act of fairness, to let compassion guide your decision, and to allow these ex-workers a chance to rebuild their lives.”
Chronicle NG reported that Funmi Adedoyin, a legal practitioner, has condemned the “delayed trial” of several former domestic workers of Jonathan, who are still detained in the Okaka Custodial Centre in Bayelsa State for stealing jewelry.
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She stated that the case was recently deferred twice—on June 25 and 26—following the kidnapping of Justice Ebiyerin Omukoro of the Bayelsa State High Court on June 21 in front of an eatery in Yenagoa, the state capital.
They were accused of stealing seven gold bangles and other jewelries, five Samsung air conditioners, two sets of upholstered chairs, and six Samsung flat-screen televisions worth ₦200 million belonging to Jonathan.
They were also accused of conspiracy to commit murder, felony, armed robbery, burglary, and theft, among other crimes.
The accused 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.
Adedoyin complained that the accused had been imprisoned for six years.
The lawyer voiced concern with the trial’s continuous delays, highlighting the impact on the defendants’ quest for justice.
She said, “We are not happy about these delays, and that is why we have been doing our best to carry on with the legal advocacy to ensure justice is upheld in the matter.
“We want them to get justice on time, as we have had over 40 adjournments already in the matter. We will continue to support them.”
Adedoyin pledged that the group would persist until they achieved justice.
She said, “We hope with these advocacies, the case will go on and the people will get justice.”
Speaking on the recent adjournments, Adedoyin stated, “The case has not been going on. The last time it was supposed to come up was 26 and 27 June. The court did not sit because of the matter in Bayelsa State, where a judge was kidnapped. It is an act of solidarity. Till now, we have not been able to get a date. In the last two adjournments, the matter did not go on.”
