Gift John: Principal witness goes dumb in court
By TOYOSI OGUNSEYE
Published: Sunday, 17 May 2009



The principal witness in the ongoing trial of Mrs Gift John, owner of Good Shepherd Orphanage, went dumb while giving her testimony before Court 17 of the Lagos High Court on Friday.

The witness, Bose Owolabi, was being asked questions by the state counsel, Mrs. C.R. Odutola, when she suddenly held her neck with both hands and went speechless.

The presiding judge, Mrs. Deborah Oluwayemi, ordered the court registrar to call a nurse to give first aid to the witness. “I have never seen this kind of thing before,” she said.

The nurse was not available and Owolabi could not continue with her testimony as she did not regain her voice until the court rose.

Nothing was amiss when the witness started giving her testimony around 10.30am. After introducing herself to the court, she said, ”I knew the first and second accused person (Mr. Gift John and Mr. Kenneth John) when I started working in the orphanage as a resident nanny in 2003. I was living with them and I had my two children with me.

”After about three months, Mrs. John said she noticed I was pregnant and advised me to give the baby to the government. According to her, I could not take care of three children at the same time. She said I shouldn‘t tell anybody that I gave my child to the orphanage.

”She also said……, ”

It was at this point the witness could no longer talk.

”She also said what?” asked the judge. Owolabi just held her neck and stared into space. The judge asked her if she had a headache or was afraid to talk because the accused persons were in court but Owolabi shook her head.

Oluwayemi asked the witness‘s sister who accompanied her if Owolabi was sick before she came to court. She said, ”She has had malaria for a while but since she got a letter that she would be testifying in court, she started complaining of sickness in her head.”

Odutola vehemently protested the speechless state of the witness, ”My Lord, this is remote control. I ask that the witness be allowed to give her testimony in your chamber because she has been intimidated by the defence counsel who has been raising unnecessary objections since the proceeding began.”

Oluwayemi turned down the request and said, ”Even if I allow her to give her testimony in my office, I don‘t think it would make a difference. Since you knew your witness was intimidated, you should have submitted an application for a hearing in my chambers before now.”

The judge advised the state counsel to submit Owolabi‘s written statement if she could not give an oral testimony before the court.

Earlier, the defence counsel to the Johns, Mrs. Taiwo Salau, raised objections several times and accused the state counsel of asking the witness ‘leading questions.‘

When the judge asked if there were other witnesses in court, the state counsel said the case file that contained their statements was stolen. ”Owolabi is a very important witness in this case. We want to finish with her testimony before bringing others. The case file was stolen but we have certified copies of the statements of other witnesses locked up somewhere,” Odutola said.

Owolabi is a key witness in the case no 1D/20C/2007 between the Lagos State Government and four defendants: Mrs Gift John, Mr. Kenneth John, Mrs. Eniola Olaide and Mrs. Grace Eluku.

The witness had alleged that Gift John deceived her into giving her baby away.

The couple are facing an eight-count charge bordering on child stealing and illegal hospital registration.

Olaide, an official of the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Welfare is being tried for allegedly facilitating the illegal adoption of a baby and conspiring to steal a child at Nato‘s clinic, Orile, Lagos. Eluku is also being charged for conspiring with Olaide to steal the child at the hospital.

The Good Shepherd Orphanage located at No. 31, Ogunromibi Street, Lagos, was shut down by the Lagos State government on February 23, 2005, for allegedly engaging in child trafficking and selling of babies.

After the closure, a total of 18 children, six pregnant teenagers, and 11 others were rescued from the orphanage and taken to the state‘s transit homes while Gift John and her husband were arrested for prosecution.

The case has been adjourned till June 10

http://www.punchontheweb.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200905171521829

hopefully by then her power of speech would have returned.

hehehehe,

Dis one was kinda funny with the lawyer shouting "My Lord this is remote control", hehehe in acourt of law.

whats the judge supposed to say??

Oya accussed would u drop dat remote and remove the batteries??

This happens only in Nigeria

na wao

Its a circus,the nigerian legal and justice system is one big joke. How does a case file get stolen

Don1DeMaco:

hehehehe,

Dis one was kinda funny with the lawyer shouting "My Lord this is remote control", hehehe in acourt of law.

whats the judge supposed to say??

Oya accussed would u drop dat remote and remove the batteries??

This happens only in Nigeria

u be joker

She is lucky they didn't kill her. The girl can act, nollywood will soon employ her.

lmao@remote control.

lol, ogun abe nu gon gon, na real remote control.

hmmmm African magic!

Na Jazz be dat o !

Those people are baaad,Opeyemi Bamidele(Lagos Commissioner) had an experience with them .

http://odili.net/news/source/2005/mar/6/523.html

http://odili.net/news/source/2005/mar/6/523.html