Ayomide, a 20-year-old homeless boy has been living on the streets and supporting himself by assisting market-goers with their goods while finding shelter in front of shops at night. On June 28, 2023, he was accused by a shop owner of breaking and entering, as well as theft. Ayomide denied all allegations; however, he was arrested by law enforcement and subsequently detained for two weeks.
Ayomide was thereafter arraigned on charges of breaking and entering and malicious damage in July 2023. Due to his mental health instability, he was unable to enter a plea. The court ordered his admittance to a psychiatric hospital for treatment, facilitated by officers from the Nigerian Correctional Service.
After several months of treatment, Ayomide’s mental health improved, allowing him to plead not guilty to the charges in March 2024. Although he was granted bail, he faced difficulties in fulfilling the bail requirements.
On July 9, 2024, our lawyer who has been representing Ayomide applied to the court to have the charges against him dismissed, as witnesses failed to appear in court since arraignment. Consequently, Ayomide’s case was struck out after enduring one year of unjust detention.
We firmly believe that Ayomide’s prolonged and unwarranted incarceration, along with the significant delays in his pursuit of justice, constitutes a serious miscarriage of justice. His year-long remand in prison despite his mental health challenges and the absence of witnesses is unjust!
