Man imprisoned for 18months following inability to pay N2m police bail

A man, Custody Ottobong, has spent 18months in prison custody despite an instruction to the police to release him. Headfort Foundation, a free legal aid firm, took up the victim’s case, after meeting him during a cell visitation.

The firm said Ottobong’s friend gave him a car to sell, which turned out to be a stolen one. Subsequently, the police arrested Ottobong’s friend and, later, him too.

“After about 5 months in the cell, Otoobong was given the opportunity to make calls. He called his family and the school authority – where he works as a gardener.

“They got to the station but he did not come back (sic), because the bail sum was N2, 000,000.00 (Two million naira),” Headforte Foundation said.

The police decided to arraign Ottobong and others before the Ogba Magistrate’s Court.

The magistrate ordered the defendants remand in prison custody pending advice from the Office of Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).

While awaiting the advice, the police arraigned the other defendants freshly at the high court, but left only Ottonbong to face the trial at the magistrate’s court .

A lawyer from the foundation, Onuagu Thecla represented Ottobong in court on September 8, 2022. She investigated the delay over the DPP advice and found out it was issued, since 2021. The DPP declared Otoobong innocent and ordered his release, but the police prosecutor did not bring it to the court’s notice.

The foundation said, “The court read out the legal advice, which says that the other defendants should be prosecuted at the High Court, while Otoobong be released and discharged.

“The Court released him immediately, after he had spent 1 year and 6 months in custody.”