Stubbornness nor dey pay at times sha.

I was in a Magistrates’ court to attend to business last week. It’s been back to back trial and been in that situation was the least I expected.

You know when a new management staff hype’s to the GM and you have to live up that expectations. So it’s been 16hrs daily with few resting time in between and having this criminal case was not on the list.

But what happens when a young boy of 18-22 is arraigned in court on a offense of stealing and ancillary actions capable of breaching public peace?

Funny enough, he had no legal representation. For a minute, I felt this was a case of injustice and offer to represent him for free.

Atleast I have the powers to hide the case under our office CSR pro bono cases.

It was a thing of joy when he got bail on very liberal terms. I was more happy cos I knew with this bail conditions, he won’t spend a day in jail awaiting trial.

But I was damn too wrong. My first instinct was to approach the defendant immediately the court rose. My desire was to get contact details of his folks or friends and immediately commence bail modalities so my guy can go home.

He was quick to avail me the contact numbers of his father and his older brother.

Oh! My ego or sense of pride was in over-drive mode and I was feeling on top of the world. This was not because I felt I was rescuing a soul that was been oppressed unfairly, but because I had spent the last two hours begging the complainant to drop the case but was stoned walled with his refusal. Damn! He was adamant.

I felt he was the devil but I was pamplexed when I spoke with the contacts the defendant availed me.

“ e don dey go jail? Abeg, make them do quick carry am go jail, so that he go learn some lesson. Since he say he not go rest until he use our papa do money mericine, na jail go help format e brain.”

For a minute, I felt I was speaking with wrong person. Perhaps the older brother had no love for the younger chap and will do anything to send him away, I said to myself. How wrong was I?

I eventually spent the next 30mins begging the aged father to come take his son on bail. But the old man vehemently refused.

They were happy to send the young man away, so they can have peace. It was then I realized the complainant was right about the young chap.

Not only was a cultist, he was also a local terrorist who terrorized his family and his neighborhood. But then, I could see the bright future devil wanted to waste away. But what do I do?

I was more scared that the defendant will return a different man, should he spend sometime in kirikiri. He will definitely find those devilish than himself and come back a different person.

More saddling, was the fact that his family had rejected him and everyone he knew like Ise deserted him. His street friends and family didn’t show up.

Well! God intervened and we were able back to police custody instead of Kirikiri. Atleast, that is a more better options until the next adjourned date. He will be free by the next date.

When we are done cross-examining the witnesses, they will have no choice than to drop the case and he will be free.

This will satisfy my conscience as a litigator.

But then, how bad can a child be that will warrant everyone to abandon him?

You just let loose a monster, I hope for the sake of your conscience you setup a monitoring and evaluation mechanism to see to it that he doesn't go back to his dangerous path since all he got was a slap on the wrist

Mooh247:
You just let loose a monster, I hope for the sake of your conscience you setup a monitoring and evaluation mechanism to see to it that he doesn't go back to his dangerous path since all he got was a slap on the wrist

Well! You have a point. But then, he will come back worse if you send him to jail. Sometimes, they go back to their past ways and some do change for good.

There was a similar case I handled early this year. His family abandoned him, and even his friends and blood brothers that were lawyers didn’t care.

I kept calling them to no avail. He spent about 30 -45days in police custody before we got the complainant to withdraw the case.

I was happy when he called some weeks back because many will never remember you immediately you secure their release and the case is dropped.

He is not has bad as he used to be. He is now attending church and gradually coming to terms with the realities of this world.

But then, nobody goes to jail and returns the same. Jail changes people just as winter changes trees. They always return worse and end up as jail bird.

Jesus gave the adulterous woman a second chance. Life has given all of us a second change at some point and the least we can do is allow God to use us in giving others a second chance.

It’s that simple

litigator:



Well! You have a point. But then, he will come back worse if you send him to jail.

Sometimes they go back to their past ways and some do change for good.

There was a similar case I handled early this year. His family abandoned him and even his friends and blood brothers that were lawyers didn’t care.

I kept calling them to no avail. He spent about 30 -45days in police custody before we got the complainant to withdraw the case.

Was happy when he called some weeks back. He is not has bad as he used to be. He is now attending church and gradually coming to terms with the realities of this world.

But then, no goes to jail and returns the same. They always return worse and end up as jail bird.

By the way Thanks for your pro bono services to the community and society.. nothing should take away such credit even if he turns back to crime or not

You have done your part, but I wonder if you can just crown it by pointing him towards the direction of an NGO or a church for proper rehabilitation

Mooh247:


By the way Thanks for your pro bono services to the community and society.. nothing should take away such credit even if he turns back to crime or not

You have done your part, but I wonder if you can just crown it by pointing him towards the direction of an NGO or a church for proper rehabilitation

Yeah! I always try to do that. Perhaps will start with Bible and tapes before the year runs out.

Faith comes by hearing and most of these young kids are filled with anger and resentment. Resentment towards everything, everyone and even their parents. And as a young man who has gone through a lot in my early days, I can relate with them.

Life sometimes uses some destiny for sports, and all we can do is try and rescue them from destruction.

If you know any NGO or church that can help keep an eye on them, please let us know.

We have desires to do more pro bono work and perhaps community outreaches going forward. It’s still on paper sha.

But God’s grace, we hope to start implementing once we have modalities in place.

Thanks for the kind words.

Man, you should have let that boy be! You are on the verge of releasing a beast back into the society. You really need to experience what relatives go through when they have children who are into cultism..then you would understand.

Ok

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Mooh247:
You just let loose a monster, I hope for the sake of your conscience you setup a monitoring and evaluation mechanism to see to it that he doesn't go back to his dangerous path since all he got was a slap on the wrist

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Mooh247:


By the way Thanks for your pro bono services to the community and society.. nothing should take away such credit even if he turns back to crime or not

You have done your part, but I wonder if you can just crown it by pointing him towards the direction of an NGO or a church for proper rehabilitation

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[s]

OnionBandit:
Man, you should have let that boy be! You are on the verge of releasing a beast back into the society. You really need to experience what relatives go through when they have children who are into cultism..then you would understand.

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