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The trial of 15 domestic workers of former First Lady Patience Jonathan has been delayed again, as the Bayelsa State High Court could not sit on two scheduled dates in June.
The last time the court sat on the matter was May 23, and Justice Matilda Ayemieye, the Chief Judge of the State, adjourned the case until June 6.
FIJ learnt that the lead prosecution could not make it to court at the May 23 sitting due to a cancelled flight, so the Chief Judge adjourned the hearing until the first week of June. The lead prosecution was supposed to continue with the cross-examination of the witness.
However, the court could not sit because of the national public holiday, which the federal government declared for Muslims to mark the 2025 Eid-ul-Adha celebration.
A lawyer with Citizens Gavel Foundation for Social Justice, a firm providing free legal assistance to some of the detainees, told FIJ that the matter was later fixed for either June 26 or June 27.
However, the court could not sit on either of those days because a judge of the Bayelsa State High Court was kidnapped on June 21.
“We were supposed to be in court on one of those two dates, but courts did not sit because of the kidnapping incident,” the lawyer disclosed.
Justice Ebiyerin Omukoro, the abducted judge, was kidnapped in front of an eatery in Yenagoa. He was in the company of two of his daughters when the incident happened.
Gunmen dragged him out of his car, forced him into their waiting Hilux van and whisked him away.
Meanwhile, the Citizens Gavel Foundation for Social Justice’s lawyer could not give an update on when the court will resume the trial of the detained domestic staff.
The 15 domestic workers — Williams Alami, Vincent Olabiyi, Ebuka Cosmos, John Dashe, Tamunokuro Abaku, Emmanuel Aginwa, Erema Deborah, Precious Kingsley, Tamunosiki Achese, Sunday Reginald, Vivian Golden, Emeka Benson, Boma Oba, Salomi Wareboka and Sahabi Lima — have been detained for theft since 2019.
There are 18 counts against them, ranging from conspiracy to commit murder and armed robbery to burglary. They were accused of stealing seven gold bangles and other jewellery, five Samsung air conditioners, two sets of upholstery chairs and six Samsung flat-screen televisions valued at N200 million.
(Founder for Investigative Journalism)
