By Desire Emmanuel
A young man who went to Ekiti State in search of better life and who was accused of stealing a stool has now regained his freedom after spending three months in prison custody as a result of the absence of police prosecutor during court sittings.
The young man, whose name was given simply as Lamidi, described as a dancer, started living in Ekiti and some months ago, he was said to have asked a friend to make a stool for him.
He reportedly paid part of the money, and his friend, trusting that the balance would be paid later, told him to take the stool home. Lamidi did just that.
Trouble however began for him when, a few days later, the friend’s employer stormed Lamidi’s house, accusing him of breaking into the furniture shop to steal the stool.
Shocked and confused, Lamidi tried to explain what happened, but his words were no match for the accusation. Both he and his friend were arrested, and in a twist, his friend denied giving him permission to take the stool.
He was eventually taken to the police station while the friend was let off the hook.
It was gathered that on the June 27 this year, Lamidi was arraigned in a magistrates’ court on two-count charge of: breaking and stealing and he pleaded not guilty.
Following his non-guilty plea, the court granted him ₦50,000 bail and one surety in like sum, but with no family around and no resources, he couldn’t meet the bail conditions and he was remanded at the Medium Correctional Centre in Ado Ekiti.
His plight got to the attention of an advocacy group, the Headfort Foundation for Justice, and one of its lawyers decided to take up his matter and represent him in court.
The case was said to have suffered adjournments because the police prosecutor wasn’t available during sittings and anytime he was available, he was not ready.
When the matter came up on October 2, the police prosecutor again had no witnesses and said the complainant was no longer interested in the case.
This made the lawyer to ask the court to strike out the case for lack of diligent prosecution. The magistrate granted the request, discharged and acquitted Lamidi after spending three months in prison custody.
