HUMAN rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong has taken over the case of a lady, Olufunmilayo Brioluwa, remanded at Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos State for allegedly assaulting a police officer.
The Lagos State Police Command’s spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, a superintendent of police, broke the news of the case on his Twitter page on May 16.
He wrote, “Somewhere in Ogombo yesterday, she assaulted a police officer. She was arraigned today and has been remanded to (sic) the Kirikiri correctional facility till 6th June when the case come (sic) up again in court.”
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He accompanied his post with a picture of the lady grabbing a male police officer in uniform and the charge sheet. A crowd of passers-by surrounded the officer and the lady in the picture.
Hundeyin did not give further details of the incident.
The picture he posted has a dark background, suggesting the incident could have happened at night.
Brioluwa was arrested on May 14 and arraigned before the Magistrate Court in Eti-Osa, Lagos, the following day on a two-count charge bordering on alleged assault on an officer.
However, on Thursday, June 8, Effiong said the police failed to tell the court the true account of what transpired.
He said his firm visited the accused at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre on May 25, where she gave a different account of the incident.
Besides, he said the Correctional Service failed to produce the accused in court on June 6, the scheduled date for the second hearing of the case.
“The public statement made by the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ben Hundeyin, does not reflect the true account of events in this case. We will speak to the true facts of the case in court. We urge the police to exercise restraint in the matter.
“We visited Brioluwa in Kirikiri custodial centre on 25th May, 2023. She briefed us extensively on what transpired. We equally appeared for her in court on Tuesday, 6th June when the case came up a second time. Sadly, the Nigerian Correctional Service failed to produce her in court. Ms. Brioluwa is a young and economically disadvantaged citizen. She has no influential person to speak for her.”
According to him, the accused’s present travails are what most oppressed Nigerians who have a conflict with law enforcement officers and fellow citizen face.
He promised to provide the accused with legal representation in line with her fundamental right to a fair trial, as Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution provides. The service will also be given pro bono, he stated.
“However, spirited members of the public who are minded to assist her can reach out to us. She needs help urgently.
“We are afraid that she may spend over a month in custody without being able to perfect her bail. She was admitted to bail by the court but could not perfect it due to lack of resources.”
He said the case will come up again on Tuesday, June 13.
Marcus bears the light, and he beams it everywhere. He's a good governance and decent society advocate. He's The ICIR Reporter of the Year 2022 and has been the organisation's News Editor since September 2023. Contact him via email @ [email protected]