In September 2019, Alex, a mechanic working along Mile 2 Road in Lagos, was arrested while repairing a commercial bus. On that day, he was called to fix a bus that had broken down on the highway. While the bus owner went to fetch some parts as instructed, Alex worked on the vehicle. Approximately thirty minutes later, five police officers stopped by, questioning him about working on a bus without a license plate. Alex explained that he was merely a mechanic hired for the job and had no information about the vehicle's registration. To his shock, he was detained without further information and remained in custody until January 10, three months later, when he was finally asked to provide a statement.
On February 16, Alex was charged with stealing an unregistered vehicle worth N400,000. Although he was granted bail, he had no relatives in Lagos to support him, and his colleagues at the workshop were unable to assist financially. At his court appearance, the only witness, the investigating police officer (IPO), did not fully testify and failed to appear after the fourth adjournment. His incomplete and unsubstantiated testimony was insufficient to support the allegations against Alex.
Without legal representation, Alex sought help from Headfort Foundation’s lawyer, who visited the Ogba Magistrate Court mobile office and took his case. The lawyer investigated the proceedings, and after multiple adjournments and failed attempts to locate the IPO, the prosecution's case fell apart.
On December 7, 2020, the court granted Headfort Foundation’s lawyer's application, and Alex was discharged. He had spent One Year and Two Months in prison before finally regaining his freedom.
