An ABSU Law Clinic team comprising 6 student-clinicians led by Chioma Nwigwe paid a courtesy and advocacy visit to the Chief Judge of Imo State, Hon. Justice Benjamin Ahanonu Njemanze on 23 June 2011. The purpose was to inform the CJ on the activities of the Clinic, and solicit his support for the Prisons Services clinic, and particularly the Okigwe Prisons project.
The CJ commended the Clinic for the noble social service, and informed the Clinic team that the next Jail Delivery Exercise will start on 24 June 2011.
The Clinic team used the occasion to solicit the inclusion of some of her clients in the cause list for the Jail Delivery Exercise of the CJ. Those whose cases were presented included, two under-aged detainees at the prison and Chinedu who has spent eight years awaiting trial and whose file was allegedly missing.
It will be recalled that on 23 March 2011,the Clinic participated actively in a similar exercise by the CJ and in the process secured the release of one of her clients. Impressed by their role then, the CJ had promised to carry the Clinic along in future visits.
This time around, the Clinic has been pre-informed of the exercise and will be participating more actively.The Clinic has secured the services of Bar. Emeka Okoroafor who has volunteered to represent the clinic’s clients at the jail delivery exercise. Thus,the Clinic is likely to secure the release of more Prisoners soon as the Clinic is participating in the jail delivery exercise at the Okigwe prisons. Reports of the exercise will follow shortly.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
AHIARA COUPLE FINALLY REGAINS FREEDOM FROM OKIGWE PRISONS
The ABSU Law Clinic finally secured the release of the "Ahiara couple" who has been detained awaiting trial at Okigwe Prisons for almost one year. Their detention followed an arraignment before the Ahiara Magistrates' Court on a charge of arson. They were accused of burning down the family house, an incident which they insisted was an accident.It was a tricky and intricate one as their family members, including the man's parents, were the complainants and wanted them kept away for as long as possible.
Following Clinic's advocacy, an application was filed to the High Court which varied the hitherto stringent bail conditions to facilitate the release of the couple. The Clinic subsequently contacted their family members to fulfill the bail terms,and the couple was released by the Court. The couple is presently recuperating in a hospital, while the family has called to express their gratitude for our services.
Following Clinic's advocacy, an application was filed to the High Court which varied the hitherto stringent bail conditions to facilitate the release of the couple. The Clinic subsequently contacted their family members to fulfill the bail terms,and the couple was released by the Court. The couple is presently recuperating in a hospital, while the family has called to express their gratitude for our services.
Friday, June 3, 2011
ABSU LAW CLINIC PARTICIPATES IN ALL AFRICA LAW CLINICS CONFERENCE
ABSU Law Clinic recently participated in the just concluded All Africa Law Clinics’ Conference on Criminal Justice and Pre Trial Detention which was organized by NULAI Nigeria.
The Conference which brought together the major stakeholders in the criminal justice system from all over Africa, took place at the Hawthorne Suite, Garki Abuja.
The ABSU Law Clinic had in attendance the Coordinator, Dr Sam Erugo, Dr Eze Ngwakwe and Orji Agwu Uka the immediate past student head of the clinic.
The Conference presented the clinic with a golden opportunity to network and establish contacts with other partners in the sector including the National Human Rights Commission, Non Governmental Organizations like REPLACE, other law clinics from within and outside the country etc.
Meanwhile the Clinic uses this opportunity to congratulate the Open Society Justice Initiative on the recent signing into law of the Freedom of Information Bill by President Goodluck Jonathan. The Clinic acknowledges the well documented role of the Justice Initiative towards the ground breaking event which has taken almost twelve years and wishes her well in other endeavours.
The Conference which brought together the major stakeholders in the criminal justice system from all over Africa, took place at the Hawthorne Suite, Garki Abuja.
The ABSU Law Clinic had in attendance the Coordinator, Dr Sam Erugo, Dr Eze Ngwakwe and Orji Agwu Uka the immediate past student head of the clinic.
The Conference presented the clinic with a golden opportunity to network and establish contacts with other partners in the sector including the National Human Rights Commission, Non Governmental Organizations like REPLACE, other law clinics from within and outside the country etc.
Meanwhile the Clinic uses this opportunity to congratulate the Open Society Justice Initiative on the recent signing into law of the Freedom of Information Bill by President Goodluck Jonathan. The Clinic acknowledges the well documented role of the Justice Initiative towards the ground breaking event which has taken almost twelve years and wishes her well in other endeavours.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
ABSU LAW CLINIC PRISON VISIT FOR 2010/2011
The ABSU Law Clinic has commenced its prison visits for the 2010/2011 Academic Session.
The visits which took place on the 19th and 23rd of May 2011, saw a team of 143 student-clinicians drawn mostly from the 500 level LL.B class (and few from 400 level class)visiting the Aba, Umuahia and Okigwe Prisons for various reasons.The reasons were in line with the division of the prison services into four units, to wit:
i. Pre-Trial Detainees Unit
ii. Prisoners’ Street Law Unit
iii. Prisons’ Reform and Advocacy Unit
iv. Vulnerable Prisoners’ Unit
Thus, in addition to the regular interview of Pre-trial detainees,and particularly vulnerable prisoners, there were also Prisons street law and fact-findings missions for Prisons reform and advocacy.
A comprehensive report of the visits, including a breakdown of the units’ report will follow soonest.
The visits which took place on the 19th and 23rd of May 2011, saw a team of 143 student-clinicians drawn mostly from the 500 level LL.B class (and few from 400 level class)visiting the Aba, Umuahia and Okigwe Prisons for various reasons.The reasons were in line with the division of the prison services into four units, to wit:
i. Pre-Trial Detainees Unit
ii. Prisoners’ Street Law Unit
iii. Prisons’ Reform and Advocacy Unit
iv. Vulnerable Prisoners’ Unit
Thus, in addition to the regular interview of Pre-trial detainees,and particularly vulnerable prisoners, there were also Prisons street law and fact-findings missions for Prisons reform and advocacy.
A comprehensive report of the visits, including a breakdown of the units’ report will follow soonest.
PRISON SERVICES CLINIC ORIENTATION WORKSHOP
The ABSU Law Clinic Pre field visit workshop held on 11 and 12 May 2011 to herald the 2011 Prisons Services Clinic session and other outreach programmes. The Workshop held at the Faculty of Law Complex, Abia State University, Uturu with the students actively participating in the organization and the workshop sessions.
The Objectives Pre Field (Prisons) Visit Workshop was:
• To sensitize the students, stakeholders, Faculty and Community on the ABSU Prisons Service Clinic, Street Law and Outreach programmes generally;
• To bring together and elicit the cooperation of all stakeholders for the Prisons Service/Street Law programmes;
• To identity the rules of prison visits, interviews and reporting (for Pre-trial Detainees, Prisons’ Street Law and Prisons Reform and Advocacy Units)
• To train students to understand the nature of Prisons service work, applicable rules and legal instruments;
• To prepare the students adequately to conduct prison visits and interviews at Okigwe, Umuahia and Aba Prisons for purposes of legal aid and or advocacy;
• To identify and list the legal needs of all categories of prisoners;
• To identify the available legal aid facilities presently available to the prisoners;
• To train students to successfully conduct live interviews and be in a position to counsel and render services to the prisoners;
• To train students to prepare lesson plans and to teach citizens’ rights, including Prisoners’ rights.
The Workshop Outcomes were to enable the students:
• Discuss the scope of the Criminal Justice System in Nigeria as it relates to Prisons;
• Explain the scope of applicable Human Rights Instruments in Nigerian Prisons and the work of the Legal Aid Providers in Prisons;
• Explain the rules and ethics of prison visits;
• Identify some guidelines (including the Rules of Professional Conduct and Ethics) for Client Interviewing and Counseling as it relates to pre trial detainees;
• Conduct an effective interview and counseling for a pre trial detainee;
• Conduct an effective group interview in the prisons;
• Prepare lesson plan, and conduct an effective teaching on Prisoners’ and other rights;
• Analyze and find solutions to problems arising from information received from the Pre Trial Interviews.
• To render legal assistance, or refer deserving prisoners for legal aid/assistance
The Workshop had in attendance, The Ag. Dean Faculty of Law M O Unegbu, a Former Dean of the Faculty, Barr P. C. Ugochukwu, Clinic Coordinator Dr Sam Erugo, Clinic Supervisors, Dr E C Ngwakwe, Barr Emeka Ezeogu, Mrs Chizoba Okpara, clinicians and the faculty.
The Prison controllers delivered talks to the students on the Prisons generally and specially on Prisons, prisons’ visit rules and practices, while the NULAI President encouraged the work. One notable outcome of the Workshop was the inclusion of Aba Prisons for the services at the request of the Abia State Controller of Prisons as he commended the project and sought the clinic’s assistance by extending its services to Aba Prisons. The Workshop presentations were interactive.
After the formal closure and departure of the guest speakers, the workshop went into student-sessions and continuing the following day, as the students in their groups, had discussions and seminars to prepare for the visits to the prisons and Community outreach programmes.
Topics presented at the workshop included
• An overview of prison service as a CLE method; aims and objectives-Dr Sam Erugo/DrEze Ngwakwe
• The Police, the Prisons and the Courts under the Nigerian Criminal Justice system: Nwankwo C. K.
• Role of Prisons in the administration of justice; the rules and ethics of Prison visits by Barr Njoku
• The Role of the Courts in the Administration of Justice-Mrs C Okoroji Chief Magistrate Imo State Judiciary
The Coordinator, Dr Erugo used the occasion of the workshop to announce the division of the Clinic prisons work into four units to make for efficiency and specialization, to wit:
i. Pre-Trial Detainees Unit
ii. Prisons’ Street Law Unit
iii. Prisons’ Reform and Advocacy Unit
iv. Vulnerable Prisoners’ Unit
Accordingly the Students for this year’s prison service were divided into the said units. The facilitators for the groups are:
i. Prisons’ Street Law Unit-Facilitators-Mr. C.K. Nwankwo/Dr. Erugo
ii. Pre-Trial Detainees Unit-Facilitators-Mr. Emeka Ezeogu/Dr Innocent Okoronye
iii. Prisons’ Reform and Advocacy Unit-Facilitator-Mr. Emeka Okoroafor/Dr. Eze Ngwakwe
iv. Vulnerable Prisoners’ Unit-Facilitators-Mrs. Chizoba Okpara/Dr. Sam Erugo
There were also student-groups Role Play on Interviewing Pre-Trial Detainees, group interviews, teaching practices etc.
The Objectives Pre Field (Prisons) Visit Workshop was:
• To sensitize the students, stakeholders, Faculty and Community on the ABSU Prisons Service Clinic, Street Law and Outreach programmes generally;
• To bring together and elicit the cooperation of all stakeholders for the Prisons Service/Street Law programmes;
• To identity the rules of prison visits, interviews and reporting (for Pre-trial Detainees, Prisons’ Street Law and Prisons Reform and Advocacy Units)
• To train students to understand the nature of Prisons service work, applicable rules and legal instruments;
• To prepare the students adequately to conduct prison visits and interviews at Okigwe, Umuahia and Aba Prisons for purposes of legal aid and or advocacy;
• To identify and list the legal needs of all categories of prisoners;
• To identify the available legal aid facilities presently available to the prisoners;
• To train students to successfully conduct live interviews and be in a position to counsel and render services to the prisoners;
• To train students to prepare lesson plans and to teach citizens’ rights, including Prisoners’ rights.
The Workshop Outcomes were to enable the students:
• Discuss the scope of the Criminal Justice System in Nigeria as it relates to Prisons;
• Explain the scope of applicable Human Rights Instruments in Nigerian Prisons and the work of the Legal Aid Providers in Prisons;
• Explain the rules and ethics of prison visits;
• Identify some guidelines (including the Rules of Professional Conduct and Ethics) for Client Interviewing and Counseling as it relates to pre trial detainees;
• Conduct an effective interview and counseling for a pre trial detainee;
• Conduct an effective group interview in the prisons;
• Prepare lesson plan, and conduct an effective teaching on Prisoners’ and other rights;
• Analyze and find solutions to problems arising from information received from the Pre Trial Interviews.
• To render legal assistance, or refer deserving prisoners for legal aid/assistance
The Workshop had in attendance, The Ag. Dean Faculty of Law M O Unegbu, a Former Dean of the Faculty, Barr P. C. Ugochukwu, Clinic Coordinator Dr Sam Erugo, Clinic Supervisors, Dr E C Ngwakwe, Barr Emeka Ezeogu, Mrs Chizoba Okpara, clinicians and the faculty.
The Prison controllers delivered talks to the students on the Prisons generally and specially on Prisons, prisons’ visit rules and practices, while the NULAI President encouraged the work. One notable outcome of the Workshop was the inclusion of Aba Prisons for the services at the request of the Abia State Controller of Prisons as he commended the project and sought the clinic’s assistance by extending its services to Aba Prisons. The Workshop presentations were interactive.
After the formal closure and departure of the guest speakers, the workshop went into student-sessions and continuing the following day, as the students in their groups, had discussions and seminars to prepare for the visits to the prisons and Community outreach programmes.
Topics presented at the workshop included
• An overview of prison service as a CLE method; aims and objectives-Dr Sam Erugo/DrEze Ngwakwe
• The Police, the Prisons and the Courts under the Nigerian Criminal Justice system: Nwankwo C. K.
• Role of Prisons in the administration of justice; the rules and ethics of Prison visits by Barr Njoku
• The Role of the Courts in the Administration of Justice-Mrs C Okoroji Chief Magistrate Imo State Judiciary
The Coordinator, Dr Erugo used the occasion of the workshop to announce the division of the Clinic prisons work into four units to make for efficiency and specialization, to wit:
i. Pre-Trial Detainees Unit
ii. Prisons’ Street Law Unit
iii. Prisons’ Reform and Advocacy Unit
iv. Vulnerable Prisoners’ Unit
Accordingly the Students for this year’s prison service were divided into the said units. The facilitators for the groups are:
i. Prisons’ Street Law Unit-Facilitators-Mr. C.K. Nwankwo/Dr. Erugo
ii. Pre-Trial Detainees Unit-Facilitators-Mr. Emeka Ezeogu/Dr Innocent Okoronye
iii. Prisons’ Reform and Advocacy Unit-Facilitator-Mr. Emeka Okoroafor/Dr. Eze Ngwakwe
iv. Vulnerable Prisoners’ Unit-Facilitators-Mrs. Chizoba Okpara/Dr. Sam Erugo
There were also student-groups Role Play on Interviewing Pre-Trial Detainees, group interviews, teaching practices etc.
HOPE AFTER EIGHT YEARS
After eight good years of excessive and arbitrary detention without trial, hope appears to be on the horizon for one of the clients of ABSU Law Clinic who is set to be released on bail next week. We had earlier reported in previous blog posts about one Chinedu who has been in custody for eight years, after being arrested by the police, detained, arraigned before an Ideato South Magistrate Court on the charge of conspiracy to commit armed robbery and subsequently remanded in Okigwe Prisons since December, 2003.
Since then, Chinedu has been wallowing in detention, has not be formally charged before a High Court that has jurisdiction to try the charge and in the process, has apparently suffered loss of job and education opportunities, in addition to being exposed to disease, physical and psychological damage. To compound his woes, his family had no knowledge of his whereabouts since his arrest and he had lost all contacts with them.
Follow up visits to Ideato South carried by a team of clinicians comprising Chioma Nwigwe, Bethel Godfrey and Fred Ben revealed that his family indeed really had no knowledge of his whereabouts, his aged father, the breadwinner of the family, was no longer able to walk properly due to old age and was thus not able to earn an income any longer. He was however excited to hear about the whereabouts of his son whom he had presumed dead and assured the Clinic of his cooperation in every area he was needed.
The Clinic decided to take up the matter and secured a Lawyer to handle the matter on her behalf on pro bono basis. The first step in the process has already been taken to wit obtaining a certified true copy of the record of proceedings to facilitate his bail application which all things being equal will be filled at the High Court on Monday.
In a related development, the Clinic has continued in the slow but steady march towards securing the acquittal of one of her clients charged with armed robbery. We had also earlier reported about Chibu, as he will be simply referred to, who was charged with armed robbery, arrested at the age of seventeen as had been in detention for five years.
The Clinic has fully taken over the case after the amicable termination of the brief of the previous lawyer handling the matter, as the case file had been handed by the family to the clinic. The clinic has already contacted a lawyer who has applied for the case to be struck out at the Isuikwuato High Court.
Since then, Chinedu has been wallowing in detention, has not be formally charged before a High Court that has jurisdiction to try the charge and in the process, has apparently suffered loss of job and education opportunities, in addition to being exposed to disease, physical and psychological damage. To compound his woes, his family had no knowledge of his whereabouts since his arrest and he had lost all contacts with them.
Follow up visits to Ideato South carried by a team of clinicians comprising Chioma Nwigwe, Bethel Godfrey and Fred Ben revealed that his family indeed really had no knowledge of his whereabouts, his aged father, the breadwinner of the family, was no longer able to walk properly due to old age and was thus not able to earn an income any longer. He was however excited to hear about the whereabouts of his son whom he had presumed dead and assured the Clinic of his cooperation in every area he was needed.
The Clinic decided to take up the matter and secured a Lawyer to handle the matter on her behalf on pro bono basis. The first step in the process has already been taken to wit obtaining a certified true copy of the record of proceedings to facilitate his bail application which all things being equal will be filled at the High Court on Monday.
In a related development, the Clinic has continued in the slow but steady march towards securing the acquittal of one of her clients charged with armed robbery. We had also earlier reported about Chibu, as he will be simply referred to, who was charged with armed robbery, arrested at the age of seventeen as had been in detention for five years.
The Clinic has fully taken over the case after the amicable termination of the brief of the previous lawyer handling the matter, as the case file had been handed by the family to the clinic. The clinic has already contacted a lawyer who has applied for the case to be struck out at the Isuikwuato High Court.
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