A human Right lawyer, Tope Tomekun, has called for the immediate release of an 18 year-old-girl, Kemisola Ogunniyi, who was arrested during the #ENDSARS protest in Ondo state and given birth to a baby boy in prison custody.
Temokun in a letter addressed to the Ondo Commissioner of Justice and Attorney-General, Sir Titiloye Charles, said Kemisola was arrested with three other people during the protest.
He said the other three suspects arrested and detained in prison custody since October 24, include, Ayodele Bukunmi, Ojo Samuel and Ani Obinna, saying the four suspects had been in Surulere Prison in Ondo West local government since October last year.
According to Temokun, the charges preferred against them were conspiracy to commit the following felonies, to wit: arson, riotous assembly, stealing and malicious damage.
He disclosed that Kemisola gone into labour on June 15 and gave birth to a baby boy the following day, and argued that Kemisola was innocent of the crime preferred against her.
He explained that “Kemisola was on her way to the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) to collect money for her mother’s treatment when she was apprehended by the Nigerian Army on random raiding and handed her over to the Police for investigation.
“She was later alleged to be part of those who set APC Secretariat Akure on fire during the #ENDSARS protest that took place in October 2020.
“I write to you sir, first as a lawyer and in furtherance of my conviction as a believer in the humanitarian cause of justice, to appeal to you sir, that for the sake of the sinless newborn child and in the interest of justice, to give a directive that this matter is given an urgent hearing as this is one deserving case, sir, in which the powers in this direction could be exercised.”
He, however, appealed to the Ondo Commissioner of Justice and Attorney-General, Sir Titiloye Charles, to use his powers to discontinue the prosecution of the teenager and three others.
Vanguard