Impact Stories
Ifeanyi, a businessman from Eastern Nigeria, operated a shop selling goods to retailers and consumers. As part of his regular restocking, he purchased items from the market, negotiating for the best prices. However, a few days later, police officers came to his shop to arrest him.
At the police station, Ifeanyi was informed that he was being held for possessing stolen goods. He explained that he had bought the items legally and was unaware they were stolen. Despite his explanation, he was charged to court for receiving stolen property.
In August 2019, Headfort Foundation's Legal Aid Team encountered Ifeanyi during a prison outreach to Ikoyi Correctional Centre. After reviewing his case, they discovered that proceedings had stalled because the co-defendant—who had sold the goods to Ifeanyi—had stopped attending court after securing bail. Facing a potentially long legal battle, the team spoke with the complainant, who had suffered a financial loss due to the theft. The complainant agreed to withdraw the charges if Ifeanyi compensated him for part of the loss. The terms were deemed fair for Ifeanyi, and an agreement was reached.
On February 4, 2020, the court officially withdrew the charges. Ifeanyi had spent one year and five months at Ikoyi Correctional Centre before his release.
