The case of Blessing Effiong, a
20-year-old inmate awaiting trial at the female section of Kirikiri
Prisons, Lagos, perhaps typifies the injustice suffered by the poor in
the Nigerian society.
The Akwa-Ibom indigene, who was
interviewed by the Attorney-General of the state, Mr. Ade Ipaye, and
representatives of the Office of the Public Defender, during a visit to
the prisons to evaluate the number of awaiting trial persons there,
narrated in detail how she had been incarcerated since the age of 16
because she could not afford the services of a lawyer.
Nigeria prison
She said, “In 2008, I bought a Starcomms
phone for N10,000 in order to start a business centre. A few days
later, a man called me and said the phone was stolen from him. I told
the man I didn’t know it was stolen. We had an agreement that I should
return the phone and he would refund my money
“I gave the man my address but when he
got to my place, he said the phone was stolen from him along with his
laptop and some other vital documents. He accused me of being a thief,
called the police and had me arrested. I was charged with robbery and
have been in Kirikiri since then as my trial has yet to begin.”
Effiong said she was arrested at her
guardian’s house in Ebute-Meta but was transferred to the Agboju Police
Division from where she was taken to an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court.
She said although she was 16 at the time
of her arrest, the Investigating Police Officer claimed she was 21 so
that she would be tried as an adult
“I told the IPO that I was only 16 years
old and that I knew nothing about the stolen phone but the IPO wrote 21
on my statement and claimed I was lying about my age. I was arraigned
as an adult,” she said.
Effiong added that even after four
years, her trial had not begun as the court was said to be awaiting
advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Culled from The Punch
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