Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju has appealed to former Nigeria First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, to discontinue the ongoing trial of her former domestic staff accused of stealing jewellery, following the reported death of one of the defendants in prison custody.
In an open letter titled “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”, Adeyanju described the situation as a miscarriage of justice.
According to him, Sahabi Liman, one of the 15 accused persons, allegedly fell seriously ill while in detention and later died. Adeyanju noted that the case, which began in 2019, has dragged on for over five years without resolution, leaving the accused persons languishing in custody.
“Justice Delayed is No Justice”
Adeyanju wrote:
“Death is a reminder that justice delayed so severely becomes no justice at all. For more than five years now, fifteen of your former domestic staff have been standing trial over allegations of missing jewellery. 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.”
He stressed that the case had gone beyond the alleged theft, emphasizing the disproportionate suffering of the accused persons.
“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,” he added.
Call for Compassion
Appealing to Dame Patience Jonathan as a “mother figure,” Adeyanju urged her to compassionately discontinue the case.
“This is no longer about stolen jewelry, but about people who have been locked up and suffering for too long. I therefore appeal to you… to discontinue this case as an act of fairness, to let compassion guide your decision and allow these ex-workers a chance to rebuild their lives.”
The case, which has attracted public attention since 2019, continues to spark debate about prolonged trials, prison conditions, and human rights in Nigeria.
