Court releases man after 15 years in prison without trial in popular south west state

• A man, Kazeen Adeshina, has been released after spending 15 years in the custody of the Medium Correctional Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos, without trial
• Justice Oyindamola Ogala ruled that detaining Adeshina in prison without charge or trial was unjustifiable
• The detainee’s lawyer, Ben Okeke, filed the suit marked No: D/16997MFHR/24 on Adeshina's behalf at the Lagos state high court in Ikeja

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 5 years of experience covering metro and government policy

Lagos state - Justice Oyindamola Ogala of the Lagos state high court in Ikeja ordered the release of a man, Kazeen Adeshina, after spending 15 years in the custody of the Medium Correctional Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos, without trial.

Ogala ordered Adeshina’s release on Monday, July 1 after the detainee’s lawyer, Ben Okeke, filed the suit marked No: D/16997MFHR/24 on his behalf.

The judge held that detaining Adeshina in prison without charge or trial was unjustifiable. Photo credit: Court of Appeal
Source: UGC

As reported by The Guardian, the judge held that detaining Adeshina in prison without charge or trial was illegal and unjustifiable.

“As afore-stated, there is an unchallenged fact that this applicant has remained in custody for about 15 years and is yet to be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction.”

She added that:

“Counsel for the first respondent has exhibited a correspondence to the police to transfer the suspect for arraignment since 2003, which has remained unattended to, and it appears that this applicant has fallen through the cracks and thus remained in custody for such years without trial.”

Ogala ruled that the presumption of innocence in Nigeria’s constitution remains sacrosanct, and there is no good cause to continue the detention of Adeshina, Premium Times reports.

The judge, therefore, ordered the immediate and unconditional release of Adeshina from the Kirikiri prison.

Court releases 12 Ajayi Crowther University students

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that 12 students of Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, were discharged by the court for allegedly beating a fellow student to death.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Olabisi Ogunkanmi of the Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court, Ibadan, gave the ruling on Monday, July 1.

The Prosecutor, CSP Funke Fawole, has accused the defendants of beating 22-year-old Jefry Akro to death with planks and electrical wire

Source: Legit.ng