Fifteen domestic workers employed by former Nigerian First Lady Patience Jonathan have reportedly been unlawfully detained at Okaka Correctional Centre in Bayelsa State since 2019. The workers were accused of stealing jewelry from one of Jonathan’s apartments in Otuoke but have yet to be convicted in court.
According to sources, their trial has been repeatedly delayed due to Jonathan’s alleged influence over the legal proceedings. Legal advocates, including the group TECH4JUSTICE, have provided legal services to the detainees, but progress in the case has been stalled.
A relative of one of the imprisoned workers told Reporters “They were arrested in 2019, even though there was no direct evidence linking them to the crime. The case keeps being postponed, and they claim to be waiting for witnesses.”
The detained workers—Vincent Olabiyi, Ebuka Cosmos, John Dashe, and twelve others—face charges of armed robbery, malicious damage, and theft, though no substantial evidence has been presented.
Legal experts have condemned the prolonged detention, citing violations of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees the right to a fair trial and the presumption of innocence. Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution states that individuals accused of a crime are innocent until proven guilty, while Section 35 upholds personal liberty.
Patience Jonathan, who served as First Lady from 2010 to 2015, has not publicly addressed the allegations.
Human rights groups and legal advocates are calling for immediate action to ensure a fair trial for the detained workers.
