Some family members of the domestic workers of former First Lady, Patience Jonathan, held in the Okaka Custodial Centre, Bayelsa State, have decried their maltreatment and delayed trial of their siblings, saying they are undergoing hardship and torture.
Naija News reports that the workers have been languishing in prison since 2019 as their trial faced constant delays due to repeated adjournments.
The defendants were brought before the High Court of Bayelsa, sitting in Yenagoa, the state capital, in 2019 over the accusation of stealing seven gold bangles and jewellery, five Samsung air conditioners, two sets of upholstery chairs, and six Samsung flat-screen televisions valued at ₦200 million.
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 charge read, “Golden Vivian, Erama Deborah, Precious Kingsley, Vincent Olabiyi, Ebuka Cosmos, Wiliams Alami, Tamunokuro Abaku, Boma Oba, Emmanuel Aginwa, Emeka Benson, Tamunosiki Achese Fiberesima, Wariboko Salome, Sahabi Liman, Reginald Sunday, John Dashe and others now at large, sometime in June 2019 at Otuoke community in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did conspire to kill Her Excellency Dame Patience Jonathan (former First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria) and thereby committed an offence.”
In an interview with Punch, a relative of the detained worker, Boma Hubert, said his brother, Reginald Sunday, working in the former first lady’s hotel in Otuoke, was accused of stealing jewellery at the presidential villa in Abuja.
He described the continued detention of his brother as illegal, attributing it to the failure of the former first lady to appear in court since the case commenced in 2019.
Hubert said, “She (Patience Jonathan) has never appeared in court since the case started in 2019. The court was sitting twice a month before, but since 2023, the court has been sitting only once a month.
“The judge told us earlier this year that the case may be thrown out since the former first lady has never appeared in court, but nothing has been done to release them. I suspect that she (Patience Jonathan) is using her influence and power to ensure that they are not released.”
Similarly, the father of another defendant, Offor Cosmos, said he was exhausted, noting that his wife nearly died when the situation occurred.
Cosmos stated that his son had gone to Bayelsa to work for the former first lady, adding that he never expected things to turn out this way.
He said, “My son is suffering. He has pile and it is disturbing him seriously. I want the government to help me because I do not know what is happening. The woman should leave my son.”
Steve Ibiene, the brother of another detainee, William Alami, expressed sadness over the situation, stating that he had been upset since his brother was imprisoned.
He said, “We only want them to do what is right. Let the court try them quickly, and if they are guilty, then sentence them to serve their punishment. They should not just be kept in prison without being tried. An investigation should be carried out. No court has pronounced them guilty, yet they have been in prison for six years.
“If they are later found guilty, what will happen to the six years they have spent? They should release all of them. No court has said they are guilty of the crime.
“The first lady accused people of theft and took them to prison, not just to a cell. She has been the one frustrating the case because she is a powerful person. Every time they go to court, they say the prosecutor is not around.”
The post Stolen Jewellery: ‘Patience Jonathan Never Appeared In Court, She Is Using Influence To Stop Release Of Workers’ – Family Members appeared first on Naija News.