₦airaland Forum

I wasn’t even supposed to be in court today.

Three minutes before I arrived, I was informed that my matter wasn’t listed in the cause list, the registrar had given me a wrong date. Ordinarily, I would have turned back to the office, but something in me insisted on going into the courtroom.

Nothing prepared me for what I saw just ten minutes later.

A young girl in her early 20s walked in, holding her one month old baby, dressed in prison uniform.

I gently asked her what had happened. She told me she had put to bed inside the prison barely a month ago. She had been arrested in April for a misdemeanor, while pregnant and had remained in custody since then. She was also standing trial without a lawyer.

When her case was called, I immediately rose and announced appearance for her.

The complainant was not in court.
The prosecutor was present today, but not ready to proceed.

They had not been attending court for several adjournments.

So I urged the court to strike out the matter and acquit the defendant, relying on the relevant provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) of Lagos State and the applicable case law.

Your Honour, Mrs. A. K. Dosunmu Uthman, struck out the charge, discharged and acquitted her and the entire courtroom erupted in applause.

John Mary, young mother who walked in wearing prison clothes walked out a free woman.

I left the courtroom smiling, deeply convinced that God directed my steps today.

Orlandoo:
All these young girls nowadays should watch their steps. You can't tell me she was just passing by and they arrested her and put her in jail. She committed something even while pregnant. Kudos to the lawyer for being a God sent to her.

BItt:
She committed a crime in the first place, the law should never be baised. It was divine intervention that got her in prison in the first place

BlackViper:
She gave birth in prison and needed divine intervention to gain freedom



Source

RollinTNDA:
All these small girls don born pikin

Me wey dey 39 years never born pikin

BlackViper:
She was arrested for a misdemeanor. Or didn't you read the article?
A misdemeanor is a minor offence unlike a felony which carries very serious penalties.

larryUG:
So for a minor crime of misdemeanor, of which the complainant has refused to be in court to carry on with the case, and the prosecutor unwilling to proceed, thereby leading to several adjournments, you still want the judge to remand her in Prison and carry on with the case, even when there is a provision in the law for dealing with such cases? You think the judge set her free without a legal basis? No worries, Just dont worry. Na because say no be you dey involved.

Orlandoo:
All these young girls nowadays should watch their steps. You can't tell me she was just passing by and they arrested her and put her in jail. She committed something even while pregnant. Kudos to the lawyer for being a God sent to her.

Orlandoo:
All these young girls nowadays should watch their steps. You can't tell me she was just passing by and they arrested her and put her in jail. She committed something even while pregnant. Kudos to the lawyer for being a God sent to her.

BlackViper:
She gave birth in prison and needed divine intervention to gain freedom



Source

RollinTNDA:
All these small girls don born pikin

Me wey dey 39 years never born pikin