OSUN: Relief for man imprisoned 7 months without trial

Samuel Oni, a National Youth Services Corps (NYSC) member serving in Osun, on Monday said he had, through his community development project (the Rehab Project), fast tracked the release of a 29-year-old commercial motorcyclist, Olagunju Segun, accused of housebreaking and stealing from Ilesha Prison.

Oni, who is a lawyer, serving with the Osun Ministry of Justice, made this known to newsmen in Oshogbo stating that his team was able to secure the release of the accused on Friday at Ilesha Magistrates’ Court 3, after the accused had spent seven months in prison without trial.

“When the Rehab team visited the Ilesha Prison on Feb. 8, Segun narrated how he became a victim of circumstances.

Read also: 27 suspected Boko Haram insurgents killed by Nigerian, Cameroonian troops

“He explained how, as a commercial motorcyclist, he was flagged down in Ilesha by a young man (who is now at large) to carry him and his items.

“While on the spot, some group of people ran towards them calling them thieves and on sighting the mob, the passenger ran away leaving him behind.

“He said all attempt to convince the mob of his innocence fell on deaf ears as he was handed over to the police who arraigned him,” he quoted Segun as saying.

He said the motorcyclist had been reunited with his family in Ilesha, Osun, accompanied by a member of the Rehab Team, Ayinla Rukayat, to enjoy his freedom with his family.

Oni added that the project was aimed at reaching out to awaiting trial prisoners, help secure their release where necessary, train ex-convicts with life and vocational skills in order to re-educate and re-integrate them into the society to be financially independent and also mentor them to be agents of change.

By Todimu Ogunade…

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now