Stolen jewellery: Patience Jonathan ex-aides’ lawyer laments as adjournment hits 42

Patience

A legal practitioner, Funmi Adedoyin, has decried the “delayed trial” of some former domestic workers of ex-First Lady Patience Jonathan, who remain in detention at the Okaka Custodial Centre in Bayelsa State over stolen jewellery.

She said the case was recently adjourned twice—on 25 and 26 June—due to the abduction of Justice Ebiyerin Omukoro of the Bayelsa State High Court on 21 June in front of an eatery in Yenagoa, the state capital.

Saturday PUNCH reported in April that the case had been adjourned 40 times.The defendants were arraigned before the court, sitting in Yenagoa, in 2019.

They were accused of stealing seven gold bangles and other pieces of jewellery, five Samsung air conditioners, two sets of upholstered chairs, and six Samsung flat-screen televisions, all valued at N200m.

They were also accused of conspiracy to commit murder, felony, armed robbery, burglary, and stealing, among other charges.

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.

Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, Adedoyin lamented that the defendants had been languishing in prison for six years.

The lawyer expressed disappointment over the ongoing delays in the trial, emphasising the impact on the defendants’ pursuit of justice. Punch