Family members of domestic workers who were employed by former First Lady, Patience Jonathan, and who have been detained at the Okaka Custodial Centre in Bayelsa State, have expressed their concerns about the harsh conditions and prolonged legal process their relatives are enduring.
The workers have been incarcerated since 2019, with their trial suffering continuous delays due to repeated adjournments.
The defendants were initially brought before the Bayelsa High Court in 2019, facing serious charges that included stealing seven gold bangles, jewelry, five Samsung air conditioners, two sets of upholstered chairs, and six Samsung flat-screen televisions, all valued at ₦200 million. They were also hit with 18 counts related to conspiracy to commit murder, armed robbery, burglary, and stealing.
According to the charges, the accused individuals, including Golden Vivian, Erama Deborah, Precious Kingsley, Vincent Olabiyi, Ebuka Cosmos, Williams Alami, Tamunokuro Abaku, Boma Oba, Emmanuel Aginwa, Emeka Benson, Tamunosiki Achese Fiberesima, Wariboko Salome, Sahabi Liman, Reginald Sunday, John Dashe, and others still at large, allegedly conspired in June 2019 to kill the former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, at her Otuoke residence in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
In an interview with Punch, a relative of one of the detained workers, Boma Hubert, shared his frustration over the prolonged detention of his brother, Reginald Sunday. Reginald, who worked at the former first lady’s hotel in Otuoke, was accused of stealing jewelry from the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Hubert described the continued detention as unjust, attributing it to Patience Jonathan’s failure to appear in court since the case began.
Hubert stated, “She (Patience Jonathan) has never appeared in court since the case started in 2019. Initially, the court sat twice a month, but since 2023, it has only been sitting once a month. Earlier this year, the judge mentioned that the case might be dismissed because the former first lady hasn’t appeared, yet nothing has been done to release them. I suspect she is using her influence to ensure they remain incarcerated.”
Similarly, the father of another defendant, Offor Cosmos, shared his emotional turmoil, revealing that his wife’s health had suffered due to the stress caused by the situation. He explained that his son had traveled to Bayelsa to work for Patience Jonathan and never anticipated such a dire outcome. “My son is suffering. He has piles, and it is seriously troubling him. I appeal to the government for help, as I do not understand why this is happening. The woman should let my son go,” he said.
Steve Ibiene, the brother of another detainee, William Alami, expressed his grief over the situation, revealing how his family has been devastated since his brother’s imprisonment. “We just want them to be tried properly. If they are guilty, let them serve their punishment. But they should not be kept in prison without a trial. It’s been six years without any verdict. If they are found guilty, what happens to those six years they’ve spent in prison? They should be released until proven guilty,” Ibiene stated.
He also criticized the lack of proper legal proceedings, alleging that Patience Jonathan had played a role in frustrating the case. “The former first lady accused them of theft and took them to prison, not just to a cell. She has been frustrating the case because of her influence. Every time they go to court, the prosecutor is said to be absent,” he added.
The detainees, now facing an extended period of uncertainty, have raised serious concerns about the legal delays, alleged injustice, and the toll the situation has taken on their health and families. While their families continue to call for justice, they have expressed doubts about the fairness of the process and the undue influence that may be affecting the outcome.
