ABSU Prison Pre-Trial Detainees Law Clinic: 4-28 February 2014 - Summary of activities

ABSU Prison Pre-Trial Detainees Law Clinic: 4-28 February 2014 - Summary of activities

In the past month-beginning 4 February 2014, the ABSU Law Clinic intensified its Pre-trial detainee’s project with a view to achieving set goals.

During the period student clinicians visited the Umuahia and Okigwe Prisons and offered legal assistance to pre-trial detainees and other prisoner deserving special attention. Over seventy-500 level student–clinicians were involved in the exercise. As in previous projects, the Clinicians in groups of 4 students attended to select pre-trial detainees who had no legal representation and no ascertainable means of engaging lawyers. Some such detainees were recommended by officials. The clinicians interviewed, advised and counselled such clinic-clients, especially on the legal processes respecting individual situations. In the process the clinicians also collected basic information about the precise needs of the detainees to facilitate possible access to justice for them. The visits have been followed-up where necessary. In the continuing follow-up activities, the clinicians contact relations of some detainees, connect deserving ones to partner-pro bono law firms, and obtained relevant documents for their assistance. They have continued to follow up some legal processes to ensure effective legal assistance to the clinic’s clients. More than 40 pre-trial detainees at both the Umuahia and Okigwe Prisons were attended to during the period reported. Some repeat and follow up visits to the Prisons, the courts and law offices were also done. While the officials of the Umuahia Prisons cooperated fully as in the past, there were some new challenges of access at the Okigwe Prisons. The Clinic leadership is working on the challenges.

Some of the impressive cases of the last month include:

Case of FJ, Umuahia Prisons

FJ, 23, male, from Izi, Ebonyi State, was charged with conspiracy and stealing before an Umuahia Magistrates’ Court. He was first remanded on 1/8/2011. He had no legal representation. When the Clinic first attended to him on 12 June 2013, he confessed to having unknowingly bought two stolen gallons of Palm oil, though at a ridiculous price. The Clinic had advised and counselled him on the legal process and on what to do. The clinic had helped in contacting his relations. On a repeat visit to Umuahia Prisons on 12 February 2014, the detainee had been released on bail.

Case of ONU, Okigwe Prisons

ONU, 29, male, is a trader charged with stealing a goat belonging to his uncle. He was arraigned on 4 March 2013, and granted bail in the sum of N5,000. But he had been remanded at the Okigwe Prisons for months. When the Clinic attended to the detainee in June 2013, no relation with reasonable means to secure him on bail could be contacted. He had been advised to negotiate and settle with his uncle to withdraw the matter. Follow up visits to the Okigwe Prisons on 6 and 11 February, 2014 confirmed release of ONU. Unfortunately the records’ keeper could not confirm how his release was achieved.

Bail applications for detainees

The Clinic has procured its pro bono partner law firms to file 6 bail applications for other clients and has obtained dates for hearing of the applications in Court. These are in the:

Case of COP v Ogbonnaya Agwu, Okigwe High Court– 17 April, 2014

Case of COP v  Okoraafor  Uzoigwe & Ors.(application for Okafor Nwaonuma), Umuahia High Court  3– 8 April, 2014 is fixed for bail application(armed Armed Robbery)

Case of COP v Ihesiulo & 6 Ors.(application for Ndubuisi Ransom),Umuahia High Court 5  – 11 March, 2014 is fixed for bail application(case of kidnapping)

Case of COP v Sunday Ibekwe, High Court 4 ,Umuahia – 13 March, 2014 is fixed for bail application (case of  possession of Indian Hemp and obstruction of justice)

Case of COP v Uchechukwu Kingsley, High Court Okigwe – 7 April, 2014(Armed Robbery)

COP v Paul Ilechukwu,  Etiti Magistrates’ court- 25 March  2014 is fixed for bail applicatio(case of rape).

It is noteworthy that the student-clinicians worked to obtain copies of charge sheets and other documents for the preparation of bail applications. They are assisted in drafting relevant affidavits, filed the applications and pressed to secure early date from the court registrars. The experience at the court registrars are quite revealing.