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Tag: Prison

  • My 12 years in prison worthwhile – Ex-inmate

    My 12 years in prison worthwhile – Ex-inmate

    An ex-inmate of Medium Security Custodial Centre, Owerri in Imo, Daniel Aturu, who served out his 12-year sentence, says his stay in prison has been life-changing for him.

    He was convicted for conspiracy and possession of stolen property in 2012.

    Aturu who was released on Monday, said even though initially he was very depressed, at the end he has rediscovered himself and ready to give back to the society from the skills he learnt while in custody.

    He expressed delight over the support and encouragement he received while in the custodial centre, which enabled him to excel in laundry services for inmates, the personnel and even members of the public.

    Aturu promised to be law-abiding and engage youths in his community who would like to learn laundry services.

    Aturu was sent-off by officials of the custodial centre and offered a washing machine to continue with his laundry business at home.

    According to the command Public Relations Officer, Mr Goodluck Uboegbulam, the washing machine was donated by a philanthropist.

    Uboegbulam said that Aturu had provided dry-cleaning and laundry services to inmates, the custodial centre community and society in general for the past 12 years.

    “Considering the huge impact he had made on himself and to the prison community, the management of the Medium Security Custodial Centre Owerri, in conjunction with a well-spirited philanthropist, decided to present him with a washing machine.

    “This is to aid him resettle effectively and also to provide him a means of earning a living when he returns back home,” he said.

    Uboegbulam recalled that when Aturu was admitted into the correctional facility, he was depressed and dejected as he felt like all hopes were lost.

    He said however that after some few days in custody, Aturu braced up and adjusted to his new condition, and subsequently availed himself to the available rehabilitation and reformation programmes being offered by the custodial centre.

    “First, being a Christian, Aturu started attending religious activities and other restorative programmes towards mending walls with his creator and achieving healing as well as reparation.

    “He believed it would give him the leverage to forgive himself and achieve inner peace as he is aware that his criminal behaviour has hurt his victim as well as the society.

    “Thereafter, Aturu joined one of the vocational and skills acquisition programmes towards self-empowerment and making himself functional in the custodial centre.

    “Aturu decided to engage himself in laundry and dry-cleaning. He went through tutelage provided by vocational instructors in the correctional facility, a platform that sharpened his skills in the intricacies of fabrics handling,” he added.

    In his remarks, the Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC) in-charge of the Custodial Centre, Mr Eke Eke while discharging Aturu, implored him to remain focus and continue to be of good conduct.

    Eke said that the Aftercare unit of the custodial facility would monitor his progress and ensure he resettle back to his community seamlessly.

    He called on the general society to support the Service towards offenders’ reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration, and refrain from stigmatising them.

  • Court sends suspended UNICAL professor, lawyer to Kuje Prison

    Court sends suspended UNICAL professor, lawyer to Kuje Prison

    A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, ordered the remand of Prof. Cyril Ndifon, the suspended Dean of Faculty of Law, University of Calabar (UNICAL), in Kuje Correctional Centre.

    Justice James Omotosho also ordered one of the lawyers of Ndifon, Mr Sunny Anyanwu, to be remanded in the correctional centre pending the hearing of their bail application.

    Justice Omotosho gave the order after Ndifon was re-arraigned alongside Anyanwu on an amended four-count charge bordering on alleged sexual harassment and attempt to perverse the cause of justice.

    According to reports, while the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) is the complainant, Ndifon and Anyanwu are 1st and 2nd defendants in the amended charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/511/2023.

    In count one, Ndifon was alleged to have, between May and September 2023 while being in the employment of UNICAL as Dean of Faculty of Law, caused one Miss TKJ (not real name), a diploma student of the university, to send pornographic, indecent and obscene photographs of herself to him through his mobile telephone number: 08037066222 vide WhatsApp charts.

    The offence was said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 24 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition & Prevention) Act 2015.

    In count three, the lawyer was alleged to have, sometime in November 2023 or thereabout, in Abuja during the pendency of the charge filed against Ndifon and on the prompting of the professor, called one of the prosecution witnesses on her mobile telephone.

    Anyanwu was alleged to have threatened her not to honour the invitation of the ICPC in respect of the criminal investigation against Ndifon, which conduct he knew was intended to perverse the cause of justice.

    The offence was said to be punishable under Section 182 of the Penal Code Cap. 532 Laws of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, 2006.

    Justice Omotosho had, on Jan. 10, ordered the release of Ndifon on a temporary bail to enable him go for a glaucoma surgery.

  • Court remands 5 suspected arsonists of Rivers’ assembly in prison

    Court remands 5 suspected arsonists of Rivers’ assembly in prison

    A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, ordered that the five suspected persons arraigned for allegedly burning the Rivers House of Assembly on Oct. 29, 2023, be remanded in a correctional centre.

    Justice Bolaji Olajuwon gave the order following their arraignment on seven-count charge bordering on terrorism.

    Justice Olajuwon, who declined to take their bail plea, held that their application for bail was not ripe for hearing.

    The Inspector-General (I-G) is the complainant in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/25/2024, Chime Eguma Ezebalike, 37; Prince Lukman Oladele, 47; Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, 40; Osiga Donald, 42; Ochueja Thankgod, 35, are 1st to 5th defendants respectively.

    The police alleged that the defendants, alongside Hon. Edison Ehie, former factional speaker of the assembly loyal to Gov. Siminalayi Fubara and others at large, committed the offence.

    Ehie, representing Ahoada East Constituency, had, in December, resigned as a member of the  Rivers assembly and speaker of the minority lawmakers.

    The resignation was said to be part of the agreements reached in the bid to reconcile Fubara and former Governor, Nyesom Wike, now the FCT Minister.

    Upon resumed hearing, Oluwole Aladedoye, SAN, who announced appearance for Ehie, said though his client was not listed as a defendant, he was in court to represent him because his name was mentioned virtually in all the counts.

    The police counsel, Audu Garba, said the matter was fixed for arraignment and they were ready for the defendants to take their plea subject to the convenience of the court.

    After the charge was read to them, the defendants pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

    “In view of the denial by all the defendants of the allegations leveled against them, we shall be asking for a date for trial to invite our witnesses,” Garba said.

    Lukman Fagbemi, SAN, who represented Ezebalike and Oladele (1st and 2nd defendants), informed the court that a bail application was filed on their behalf on Wednesday and that the prosecution had been served.

    Terkaa Aondo, representing Kpasa (3rd defendant), said he had equally filed a bail application earlier in the day and that the prosecution had been served.

    Responding, Garba said he was just being served today and would need more time to study the applications.

    But Fagbemi, who prayed the court to allow his bail application to be taken, said his clients had been in detention since Nov. 4, 2023.

    Aondo, while aligning himself with Fagbemi’s plea, said his client was detained since Jan. 5.

    They, however, asked for a shorter date should their requests were not granted.

    Justice Olajuwon, who refused to grant the plea to take their bail applications, adjourned the matter until Feb. 2 for hearing of the bail application.

    The judge ordered the defendants to be remanded in a correctional centre pending the hearing of their bail applications.

    NAN, however, observes that Osiga Donald and Ochueja Thankgod (4th and 5th defendants) were not represented in court by any lawyer.

    Count one of the charge alleged that Ezebalike, Oladele, kpasa,  Honourable Ehie and others now at large, on or about the 29th day of October, 2023, at Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers, while acting in concert, conspired together to commit felony.

    It alleged that they commited the “act of terrorism by the wilful destruction of public properties of invading, attacking, destroying and burning of the Rivers House of Assembly.

    The prosecution said the offence is punishable under Section 26 [1] [a] of the Terrorism [Prevention and Prohibition} Act 2022,” among other counts.

  • Prison staff caught bonking inmates – from ‘easy access’ hole to hidden cameras

    Prison staff caught bonking inmates – from ‘easy access’ hole to hidden cameras

    A number of prison officers have been accused of romping with inmates in recent years.

    Many of the rogue jail staff have gone to impressive lengths to keep their affairs secret, from using second phones to allegedly cutting holes in their trousers for “easy access”. One even became pregnant by her lag lover.

    Here we round up some of the biggest cases.

    Stephanie Smithwhite

    Smithwhite, 44, met drug kingpin Curtis Warren, 60, at HMP Frankland. They had a six-month relationship during which time Smithwhite was meant to be responsible for Warren’s security and supervision.

    The pair became infatuated with each other and Smithwhite got a tattoo of Warren’s name. She even allegedly cut a hole in her trousers for easy access whenever the pair felt like an X-rated rendezvous. Smithwhite was jailed for two years in February 2020.

    Kerianne Stephens

    Stephens, 28, became pregnant after she engaged in an affair with convicted murderer Louis Tate at HMP Swaleside on the Isle of Sheppey. The pair exchanged phone calls and texts via an illegally-held phone in Tate’s cell.

    Stephens gave birth to a daughter in June 2019. She pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office at the category B jail between September 1, 2018 and January 8, 2019, but was spared jail.

    Shania Begum

    Begum is the latest prison officer officer to receive a custodial sentence over an X-rated lock-up affair. The HMP Birmingham employee was caught having sex with Joshua Mullings in a store cupboard at the jail, the Daily Star previously reported.

    A camera was installed in the cupboard after suspicion was aroused. The pair were then recorded flirting, “heavy petting” and, eventually, having sexual intercourse.

    Begum even ignored her work radio while she was with the lag and on one occasion was interrupted by a colleague. The 25-year-old, of Hurleybrook Way in Telford, was handed a 16-month jail sentence on Thursday (January 11).

    Lauren McIntyre

    McIntyre, 32, struck up a sexual relationship with Andrew Roberts while he was serving time for the murder of his girlfriend and their baby daughter.

    Roberts was jailed for life in 2003 after he killed 23-year-old Louise L’Homme and 10-month-old Tia. It wasn’t until 2018 he and McIntyre began their affair in a prison on the Isle of Wight.

    McIntyre gave the lag the mobile number of another prison officer, knowing he intended to assault him after she also had an affair with him. In 2021 McIntyre was handed a three-year sentence.

  • Russian schoolboy gets 6 years in prison for arson

    Russian schoolboy gets 6 years in prison for arson

    A 17-year-old schoolboy in Russia was sentenced to six-years in a prison camp on Thursday for attempted arson attacks against military facilities.

    The court in Saint Petersburg found him guilty of “attempted terrorism’ for throwing Molotov cocktails at the buildings of two district defense offices a few months ago in protest against Russia’s war in Ukraine.

    The harsh approach of the judiciary had previously caused a stir because the then 16-year-old teenager had hardly caused any damage; neither did the attempted attack lead to a fire.

    The “Meduza’’ portal also reported, citing the pupil’s mother, that he was suffering from chronic liver disease.

    Russian courts often sentence opponents of the war to lengthy prison sentences. Internationally, most of them were considered political prisoners.

  • 3 men released from prison after 6 years without trial

    3 men released from prison after 6 years without trial

    An Ikeja High Court on Monday released three men, Peter Edialu, Godspower Friday and Bayo Segun, after being in custody for six years without trial.

    The men were facing charges bordering on sexual assault. They were first arrested and charged in 2018, 2019 and 2019 respectively.

    Justice Oyindamola Ogala told the court that after careful considerations of the motion papers before court, the court believed that it is in the interest of justice.

    She, therefore, gave her separate judgements in the cases regarding the applicant defendants.

    Ogala said: “The applicants should be released and diacharged forthwith if there are no pending matters in other courts.”

    Mr Ben Abraham, the Founder of Zarephath Aid, an Non-Governmental Organisation, the counsel to the applicants, while moving for the terms of motion dated Sept. 15 for the release of the applicant as stated in paragraph A, B and C in the motion papers.

    Abraham, however, withdrew paragraph 4(b) and (e) requesting the Attorney General of Lagos State and the Commissioner of Police to settle the applicant with N5 million.

    “The High Court here in Lagos granted the enforcement of the fundamental rights of these three applicants which we brought before the courts.

    “They have been in detention for about six years. The oldest of them has been in Kirikiri correctional medium custodial center since 2018.

    “For sexual offenses, they were awaiting the Department of Public Prosecutions advice since then, but nothing since then.

    “When we got to the custodial centre and saw their plight, they were not even before any courts or having the opportunity to defend themselves. So we picked up their cases earlier this year.

    “Today, the court upheld our submissions and application and directed that they be immediately and unconditionally released from custody after about six years without trial,” he said.

    Abraham added that these cases were just a few of the very sad and unfortunate set of circumstances facing the judicial system.

    The applicants had sued the Attorney-General of Lagos State, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, and the correctional services.

    The state prosecution, representing the first respondent in the matter did not object to the motion papers.

  • Former leader of Guinea’s military gov’t escaping from prison recaptured

    Former leader of Guinea’s military gov’t escaping from prison recaptured

    Former leader of Guinea’s military government Moussa Dadis Camara, who escaped from the central prison in Conakry, the capital of Guinea, Saturday morning, has been recaptured, according to Guinean armed forces.

    Ibrahima Sory Bangoura, the chief of Staff and General of the Armed Forces of the Guinean transitional government who confirmed this in a statement, explained that Moussa Dadis Camara is safe and sound and is now back in the central prison of Conakry.

    According to him, two other fugitives, Col. Moussa Tiegboro Camara and Col. Blaise Gomou, have also been recaptured and taken back to the prison.

    The armed forces said that all measures were being taken to find the last fugitive Commander Claude Pivi.

    In a statement released by the Ministry of Justice, the Attorney General at the Court of Appeals in Conakry has issued instructions to initiate proceedings for serious charges against all four detainees who were exfiltrated Saturday from the central prison by an armed commando.

    These detainees included Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, the former transition president, Colonel Moussa Tiegboro Camara, the former minister in charge of tackling organised crime and grand banditry at the presidency, Blaise Gomou, a former member of the anti-drugs squad and Commander Claude Pivi, the former minister responsible for presidential security.

    Moussa Dadis Camara launched a coup on Dec. 23, 2008, and became the leader of the military government.

    He lost power in January 2010 and went into exile abroad.

    He returned to Guinea in December 2021 and was subsequently accused of violently suppressing the protests that took place in Conakry on Sept. 28, 2009, resulting in the deaths of more than 150 people and more than 1,000 injuries.

    Moussa Dadis Camara, along with two other military officers, was detained in the prison in the Kaloum commune.

  • One killed as gunmen attack Calabar prison

    One killed as gunmen attack Calabar prison

    A Correctional Service officer was on Wednesday night killed when gunmen attacked Afokang Correctional facility in Calabar, Cross River.

    The spokesman of the state Command of the Correctional Service, Affanga Etim, made the disclosure while speaking with newsmen in Calabar on Thursday.

    He, however, debunked claims that the attack was aimed at the Correctional facility.

    He noted that the gunmen only opened fire on the Joint security team at the facility and that there was no damage to the facility.

    According to him, “When they came, they opened fire on the security team who also responded in like manner, and in the process, an Assistant Superintendent of Correction (ASC) was killed.

    “No inmate escaped or was killed, the attackers didn’t get close to the main facility.

    “As we speak, we have deployed more armed personnel to the facility and everything is under control.”

    A mother and her six-year-old daughter were hit by stray bullets during the attack.

    The victims who were rushed to Naval Hospital in Calabar, were hit in the stomach and hand respectively.

  • Army Court sentences General to 7 years in prison, orders refund of stolen N3bn

    Army Court sentences General to 7 years in prison, orders refund of stolen N3bn

    The Nigerian Army Special Court Martial on Tuesday, convicted a former Group Managing Director of Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL), Maj.-Gen. Umaru Mohammed to seven years imprisonment.

    The court also ordered the convicted senior officer to refund 2.17 million dollars and N1.06 billion being amount of monies he stole, back to  the company’s coffers.

    Pronouncing the sentence, the President of the court, Maj.-Gen. James Myam, said the officer was found guilty on 14 of the 18 count charges brought against him.

    Myam said the sentence was based on the provisions of the Criminal Code Act Cap C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, and section 174 of the Armed Forces Act cap  20 Laws, 2004.

    According to him, the verdict was made after due consideration of the plea of mitigation by the defence counsel.

    “These sentences of this special court martial are all to run concurrently and are subject to the confirmation of the confirming authority.

    “This sentence is dated this day, the 10th of October 2023 and the court is hereby adjourned Sine die,” he said.

    Myam said that on count one which borders on stealing, Mohammed was found guilty and will spend five years in prison and refund 1.04 million dollars back to NAPL.

    The court also found the officer guilty on count two and sentenced him to five years imprisonment, in addition to paying back the sum of $400,800 to NAPL.

    On count three, Mohammed was sentenced to five years imprisonment and to refund the sum of $85,400 while count four also attracted five years imprisonment with an order to pay back the sum of $35,300.

    On count five, the former NAPL boss was sentenced to five years imprisonment with an order to pay back the sum of $55,500 to the NAPL.

    Count six also attracted five years imprisonment with an order pay back the sum of $46,500.

    The court however discharged and acquitted him of the charge in count 7, but sentenced him to seven years imprisonment on count eight, while the remaining charges he was convicted of, attracted five and two years imprisonment.

    The defence counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN), citing Section 157 of the Armed Forces Act, prayed the court to move his client to a custodial centre instead of military detention facility, which the court rejected.

    Ojo also prayed that the sentence should run from the day of the court’s pronouncement.

    On whether he will appeal the judgment, Ojo said he will consult his client on that.

    “If he tells us tomorrow or after the confirmation that he is not satisfied with the findings and sentence, then we must carry out his instruction to appeal if he so instructs us, the decision is his,” he added.

  • Miscarriage of justice: Man set free from custody after 13years

    Miscarriage of justice: Man set free from custody after 13years

    A German court on Friday exonerated a former custodian who had spent more than 13 years in prison for the suspected murder of an elderly woman found in a bathtub.

    Manfred Genditzki had been handed a life sentence for allegedly killing an 87-year-old tenant of the building where he worked in 2008 by striking her on the head during a dispute and then drowning her.
    Genditzki had consistently denied murdering the woman during a lengthy legal battle.

    In a judicial scandal that made national headlines, the judges of the regional court in Munich ruled that Genditzki had been wrongly convicted and ordered compensation of nearly 369,000 euros ($402,000).

    It was not a murder, he is acquitted and thus innocent,” a court spokesman said, referring to new evidence suggesting the death was accidental.

    Local media reported that Genditzki sat impassively as the verdict was read out while many of his supporters wept openly in the courtroom.

    Genditzki, now 63, who had worked in a large residential complex in the southern town of Rottach-Egern, had already successfully contested his conviction before a federal tribunal but was found guilty again by a Munich court in 2012.

    In a third trial based on advances in forensic science, his defence attorney Regina Rick was able to bring in new evidence showing that the water temperature in the tub where the woman was found pointed to a far different time of death than initially presumed.

    A second scientific report presented to the court used a computer simulation to demonstrate that her death was likely the result of an accident.

    Rick won her client’s preliminary release last August on the basis of that evidence, given the mounting doubts about his guilt and Genditzki’s previously clean criminal record.

    After more than 13 years in custody, he returned to his family and began working as a driver at a cheese factory while the regional court granted him a new trial.

    Friday’s acquittal, which even the prosecution ultimately advocated, “came on the basis of expert reports using the most modern methods which were not available at the time of the previous convictions”, the court spokesman said.

    After spending 4,915 days wrongly imprisoned in which he missed taking part in raising his children or witnessing the birth of his grandchildren, Genditzki is now exonerated, he said.

    “This is a tragedy that can hardly be put into words,” he added.

    The court ordered Genditzki to be paid 75 euros for every day he spent in jail, amounting to just over 368,000 euros. He may also be able to claim additional damages for lost income.

    AFP