Activist lawyer Deji Adeyanju has written an open letter to Patience Jonathan, wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, following the alleged death of one of her former domestic staff standing trial over alleged theft.
In the letter posted on his Facebook page on Tuesday, Mr Adeyanju said the deceased, identified as Sahabi Liman, was one of 15 domestic aides arrested in 2019 and arraigned before the Bayelsa State High Court in Yenagoa.
They were charged with conspiracy to commit murder, armed robbery, burglary and theft.
The missing items, allegedly worth more than N200 million, included jewellery, air conditioners, upholstered chairs and flat-screen televisions.
Adeyanju stated that the accused persons have remained in detention since 2019 and that the case has faced over 40 adjournments.
He noted that Liman became ill in custody and died.
He urged Mrs Jonathan to consider ending the case, saying the prolonged detention had already exceeded any punishment that could have been imposed if the defendants were found guilty.
Deji Adeyanju wrote, “Even if they had been found guilty, they would not have spent this long behind bars for such an offense. And if they are innocent, then we have all watched them suffer for nothing.”
He appealed to Mrs Jonathan to allow the surviving defendants an opportunity to rebuild their lives.
