₦airaland Forum

Have you ever been wrongly accused and punished despite your innocence? Here’s my story…

When I was just 10+, spending the holidays at my uncle’s place before starting Form One (now JS 1), I faced something that still lingers in my memory. My uncle (a nurse by profession) accused me of taking his “special balloon.” At the time, I had no idea what he was really talking about. It wasn’t until much later that I discovered the “special balloon” was actually a condom. Condom was a scarce commodity back in the day

The truth was, after my uncle had used one from the sachet of three in a roll with his girlfriend (a fellow nurse), a part of the unused condom had fallen under the iron bed that has springs. It was his girlfriend who found it about three weeks later while cleaning the house. But before the truth came out, I was beaten mercilessly by my uncle, punished for something I didn’t do.

His girlfriend apologized to me after the discovery, but my uncle never did.

Has anything like this ever happened to you? How did you cope with being punished for something you didn’t do? I would love to hear your stories.

Nothing significant happened like that...

Of being punished for something I was wrongly accused. Nothing stands out that comes to my mind immediately.


But I do remember something that stands out for someone that was punished unjustly.

That person was my younger brother. The guy usually and naturally was always getting into trouble in the house. You know those kind of kids that whenever any bad misdemeanor happened around the house his name was always in the mix somehow somewhere.


He was always adventurous I soppose that was why. I on the other hand was the good kid who always stayed out of trouble.

The era was when those GSM phones just started entering the Nigerian market. They were expensive to purchase.

My dad bought 2 of them. One for his personal use and another for house communication. So he could reach us at home easily. It was used sort of like a land line in the house.


One day out of boredom I started to fiddle with the phone. I mistakenly entered a code that barred the phone from receiving or making calls.

I knew my dad would be furious when he found out. So since no one saw me handling the phone I just left it there on the table and blended off.

My dad came back. He was furious as I expected. He called us kids and asked who blocked the line. The famous "Mr nobody" was mentioned. Anyway, somehow my younger brother's name was listed as the culprit...he was after all the Master of misdemeanors in the house.

He insisted on his Innocence. Which only made my dad more furious. Because he should just say or admit the truth of what he did. (My dad was so sure he did it)

I could have done something about it. By stepping out to say I did it. And I am certain I wouldn't have been punished half of the way he was. Because I usually hardly got into trouble in the house. So I would have been punished leniently. But I stood back and said nothing. Partly because I felt my dad would be disappointed if my brother didn't do it. (Maybe that's me making an excuse)


Anyway, I felt bad that night and some days after the incidence. My conscience didn't allow me sleep.

Up till this moment I still feel bad and guilty when I remember that moment of letting my brother get punished for an offence he didn't do.

Maybe one day I will apologize to him in person. But I don't think he even remembers!

brain54:
Nothing significant happened like that...

Of being punished for something I was wrongly accused. Nothing stands out that comes to my mind immediately.


But I do remember something that stands out for someone that was punished unjustly.

That person was my younger brother. The guy usually and naturally was always getting into trouble in the house. You know those kind of kids that whenever any bad misdemeanor happened around the house his name was always in the mix somehow somewhere.


He was always adventurous I soppose that was why. I on the other hand was the good kid who always stayed out of trouble.

The era was when those GSM phones just started entering the Nigerian market. They were expensive to purchase.

My dad bought 2 of them. One for his personal use and another for house communication. So he could reach us at home easily. It was used sort of like a land line in the house.


One day out of boredom I started to fiddle with the phone. I mistakenly entered a code that barred the phone from receiving or making calls.

I knew my dad would be furious when he found out. So since no one saw me handling the phone I just left it there on the table and blended off.

My dad came back. He was furious as I expected. He called us kids and asked who blocked the line. The famous "Mr nobody" was mentioned. Anyway, somehow my younger brother's name was listed as the culprit...he was after all the Master of misdemeanors in the house.

He insisted on his Innocence. Which only made my dad more furious. Because he should just say or admit the truth of what he did. (My dad was so sure he did it)

I could have done something about it. By stepping out to say I did it. And I am certain I wouldn't have been punished half of the way he was. Because I usually hardly got into trouble in the house. So I would have been punished leniently. But I stood back and said nothing. Partly because I felt my dad would be disappointed if my brother didn't do it. (Maybe that's me making an excuse)


Anyway, I felt bad that night and some days after the incidence. My conscience didn't allow me sleep.

Up till this moment I still feel bad and guilty when I remember that moment of letting my brother get punished for an offence he didn't do.

Maybe one day I will apologize to him in person. But I don't think he even remembers!

Hmnn. Your brother was punished for what he did not do. In my own case, I was even forced to admit under heavy beatings with bulala. It was a bad experience. I hope your brother had forgotten that and not holding it against your dad or anyone.

Moblux:
Hmnn. Your brother was punished for what he did not do. In my own case, I was even forced to admit under heavy beatings with bulala. It was a bad experience. I hope your brother had forgotten that and not holding it against your dad or anyone.

I believe he has forgotten...

For me, it's mostly my sister who'd get wrongly accused and punished for something that I'd have either said or done.

She and I look alike even though she's a bit darker than I am, but we're like twins of different ages and people tend to confuse us as to who is who... When I'm in public sometimes people would address me by her name thinking that I'm her and I'd just play along because I'm already used to it... ... She's humbled, an ambivert, and the quiet type, while I'm feisty, an introvert, and straight forward... Some people don't even know that she has a younger sister...

As a result, she'd sometimes find herself in trouble for something she knew nothing of because of me... ... I'm even using her name as my nairaland moniker and she doesn't know anything about it...😂😂😂

I remember working as a bottle girl and bar staff at a high end club. I was raking in the money. Some weekends I'd make more than my weekly salary in those 2 days.

The manager noticed that when I was behind the bar, my tip jar had nothing but notes in it. He called me to his office and asked if I was using the till to change my coins into notes. I replied no, that's what the customers give me as tips.

He said he doesn't believe me and believes that I was stealing from the till. I asked if my tills were ever down. He replies no, but he doesn't understand how I can make hundreds in tips while other staff members barely break 50s.

He wanted me to turn over my tips. I refused and asked him to provide evidence that I'm stealing. Cctv was right above our heads and the tills are computerised so he needs to show me the evidence.

He got angry at my blunt stands and sacked me on the spot. I was too young and naïve to understand employment laws so I didn't fight back.

God has always blessed me so I didn't struggle to find a new gig. Shortly after we had a big recession so that was the end of the tipping culture. People were waiting for their change of 10s and 20s in coins, let alone tipping 10s and 20s in notes.