ACJL Success Story
This duo was arraigned before Enugu South Magistrate Court on the 1st of October, 2021 on a three-count charge of conspiracy, stealing of one P15 itel phone valued about twenty-six thousand naira (₦26,000) and breach of public peace. The second Defendant is a promising bus driver who was dedicated to his job. According to his story, he had closed from work on the fateful day of the incidence and parked his bus at Garriki, Awkunanaw, Enugu State. The next morning, he resumed work at about 7: 00 AM and was washing his bus, when a vigilante group in company of the first Defendant approached him and arrested him on the allegation of stealing an itel phone which he knew nothing about.
Both of them were beaten mercilessly before they were taken to MTD (Police station), located at Garriki, Enugu. Despite the fact that the Defendants made their statements stating their innocence, the police detained them illegally for one week before they were arraigned at Enugu South Magistrate Court on the above offences. They took their plea of not guilty and the Learned Magistrate granted bail to them suo moto.
However, in spite of the fact that the court granted them bail, they were still incarcerated because they were utterly impoverished and could not perfect the conditions of their bail. During one of CAPIO’s customary visits to the Enugu Maximum Security Custodial Centre, the second Defendant approached CAPIO soliciting legal assistance.
CAPIO acquired the brief and discovered that the Prosecution was not diligent enough in prosecuting the case; that all they ever desired was for them to rot in jail. CAPIO’s lawyers then applied for striking out on grounds of lack of diligent prosecution. The court granted the application and they were accordingly discharged on the 11th of February, 2022. The Defendants expressed unreserved gratitude to CAPIO for the free legal representation they received.