Press Release/
Joshua is a driver in Lagos who delivers purchased vehicles to their buyers in different states of Nigeria.
On his last delivery of a purchased vehicle, his boss only gave him a half payment for his services. Joshua kept on demanding for his balance but out of wickedness, his boss decided not to pay him.
Later, during Joshua’s visit to his boss, he saw some money inside his boss’ car and packed them since the boss had refused to pay him his balance. The boss being aggrieved by Joshua’s act, lured him in disguise to be arrested by the Police by telling him to come and deliver another vehicle to its buyer. Before he could know about what was going on, the Police showed up, arrested and detained him at their station.
All these happened during the period of the EndSARS protest of 2020, the Police therefore took out their frustrations and vexations on him, and transferred him to SARS. After so many unjust tortures, Joshua was forced to say that he conspired with Kabiru (his friend in the same line of work) to steal a Toyota Camry (reported stolen) by a totally different complainant (not Joshua’s boss). Kabiru was arrested on 12th December 2020 at Osun state for what he was clueless about.
The owner of the Camry (the complainant) went to the court during one of their trials and admitted to the court that he does not know Joshua or Kabiru, and that the Police only informed him that his car and the people who stole it have been found, so he sought to withdraw the matter from the court but the court refused the application and insisted that the matter goes on for trial.
On the other hand, Moses Ofoke was a conductor plying Lagos route. On the 9th of Jan. 2021, halfway into their journey, a passenger demanded to alight and Moses insisted that the passenger must pay the full fare. This caused a fight between them which attracted the Police. The passenger bailed himself on the spot, while the bus driver informed Moses that he would bail him but on the condition that he would deduct the bail money from Moses’ wages, (an offer) Moses rejected because he felt he would be released (unconditionally) by the Police.
The Police took Moses to the station where he spent days. On one of the days, the police accused Moses of being among the EndSARS protesters. He refuted the allegation, which resulted in his being seriously brutalized and was taken to SARS office. At SARS, he was joined with Joshua and Kabiru, and the three of them were charged for stealing a car (the Toyota Camry).
They were arraigned in Ogudu magistrate court and remanded at Kirikiri medium (prison). The defendants were granted bail but couldn’t perfect it because of the strict bail conditions. The matter suffered several adjournments with no commencement of trials.
Mid 2022, the magistrate was transferred to Ebute Metta court and also moved with the defendants file. Joshua was informed that their case file had been transferred to Ebute Metta. Through another inmate at Kirikiri prison, Joshua got in contact with our Lawyer, Akah Juliet, at the Ebute Metta office. Our Lawyer took up the case, but because the defendants were remanded in Kirikiri prison, it was difficult bringing them to court due to the fact that the Kirikiri prison do not mostly cover Ebute Metta.
To enable the defendants attend court, our Lawyer applied that they be transferred to Ikoyi Prison, and it was granted. The matter was therefore slated for trial to commence. The matter suffered several adjournments with the prosecution not being able to open its case, and our Lawyer repeatedly applying that the case be struck out. Our request was eventually granted and the defendants were discharged on 7th November, 2022.
Joshua and Kabiru spent about 2 years in prison, and Moses, 1 year, 10 months.
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