Bedridden widow begs judge to free her sick son

The Chief Judge of Imo State has been implored to look into the case of Mr. Stephen Anoruo who has been awaiting trial in Owerri Prison Since 2008.

The attention of the Judge was being drawn to Anoruo by NOPRIN, who said that the case of the man had remained comatose due to absence of any complainant or witness. Anoruo’s case had also suffered constant adjournments.

It was gathered that Anoruo is presently critically ill in prison and his mother, a bedridden widow, is being asked by prison officials to pay the bill at the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri.

Mrs. Anoruo, who did not have a dime, was said to have approached the civil society organisation (NOPRIN) to assist her in saving her son’s life.

Anoruo was said to have been arrested by the police in 2008 and detained at Imo State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Owerri.  His Investigating Police Officer (IPO) was one Austin Ogbang.

Anoruo was arrested over an allegation by someone who owed him some money that he was involved in the kidnap of the wife of Mr. Frank Nneji, the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Associated Bus Services (ABC).

NOPRIN Foundation, which had taken up the matter of Anoruo, added that the 33-year-old man, a commercial bus driver, alleged that he was set him up.

He was arraigned on September 9, 2008 in case number HOW/53C2008: State Vs Michael Okwukwu and 3 others before High Court 8, Owerri.

NOPRIN said: “He has been in Owerri prison awaiting trial since 2008 without being granted bail. The prosecution witness has since died and the Judge who was handling the case has retired and later died. The case has not been re-assigned to another judge.

“There is neither a complainant nor a witness in the case and the last time it was mentioned in court in September 2013, no one showed up. The defence lawyer, Nelson Umahi, abandoned the case because Anoruo’s family, after paying his initial legal fees, could not cope with his demand for more money.”

NOPRIN had further urged his Lordship: “Unless your Lordship intervenes by exercising your powers under Section 1 (1) of the Criminal Justice Release from Custody Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2007 by reviewing his case and considering if he qualifies to be released, he may remain caught up in the legal limbo and may be left to rot in prison.”

According to NOPRIN, many pre-trial detainees – like Anoruo – who may either be eventually found innocent after having spent several years awaiting trial or who ought not to be in prison in the first place, constituted over 80 per cent of the Nigeria Prison population, a major factor contributing to prison congestion in Nigeria.