The Nigerian Bar Association has explained the delay in the trial of 13 domestic staff of former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, who have been incarcerated at the Okaka Correctional Centre in Yenagoa since 2019.
Fielding questions from journalists while briefing them on the activities lined up for the 2025 Law Week on Monday, the chairman, Yenagoa NBA branch, Somina Johnbull, said it was a case that involved capital punishment.
The Law Week was themed ‘Setting the Pace: Law, Leadership and Transformational Development’, of which ex-Vice President, Prof Yomi Osinbajo, is expected to deliver the keynote address on Friday, May 16.
Johnbull said that because of the nature of the case, all lawyers ought to be present in court before it could proceed, but there was never a time when all the counsels were present.
According to him, all the 13 defendants were represented by different counsels, noting that it was strange that a matter of that nature could continue for that long in Bayelsa State after the provision of modern facilities, including e-recording.
Johnbull disclosed that on the last day the case was called in April, the court volunteered to recuse itself because of the sensationalisation of the matter, but the defendants appealed that it should continue because they had confidence in the court.
He stated, “With regard to the case you spoke about, I want to say that the NBA investigated the case. We spoke with all the lawyers and the fault isn’t from the court. We had a situation where there were 13 defendants.
The 13 defendants all have their different lawyers and any day, because it’s also a case that has capital punishment, any day that any of the lawyers don’t come (to court), the case cannot proceed.
And we found out from the records that there was never a time this matter came up for hearing and the court wasn’t ready to hear the matter. This is a case that we have found somewhat strange.
In Bayelsa, without sounding immodest, it is very strange for any matter to last beyond three, four years because of the facilities that have been provided, the e-recording system, and so, we find it strange, and then we investigated it.
And, as a matter of fact, on the last day that the matter came up, I think the court even volunteered to recuse itself from the matter on account of the sensationalisation of that matter.
All the defendants appealed that they still wanted the matter to proceed and that they had confidence in the court.”
