The Centre for Justice Mercy and Reconciliation (CJMR), a grassroots non-governmental organisation with focus on the inmates on death row and those in the awaiting trial section, has advocated for the freedom of a woman; Rashidat Abdul, her husband, son and niece, who they allege are suffering from miscarriage of justice, asking that they be allowed to return to their lives and families.
In an open letter to Governor Biodun Oyebamiji of Ekiti State and the Attorney General, of the state, CJMR asks the governor to instruct the Attorney General of the state to conduct a thorough and impartial review of the evidence and circumstances surrounding the convictions of Rashidat Abdul and her family, acknowledge the flaws in the judicial process that led to this wrongful conviction and take steps to rectify this injustice by exercising the Power of Prerogative of Mercy bestowed upon you by the Nigerian Constitution and consider granting clemency to Rashidat, her husband, son, and niece, allowing them to return to their lives and families.
The founder of CJMR, Pastor Hezekiah Deboboye Olujobi, stated that: “We believe that justice has not been served in this case. The judicial process was marred by intimidation, conflicts of interest, and a lack of due diligence. The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction without adequately reviewing the compelling arguments presented by the defense.”
Giving the background into the matter, he stated that Rashidat Abdul, a native of Agbede, Edo State, moved to Odo-Owa Ekiti in search of a better life in 2015, rented a six-room apartment from her landlord, the late Samuel Olaoye and established her business, employing six young girls, including her niece, Iroyigbhle Eronomo. However, her life took a tragic turn when she became embroiled in a conflict with the local king, who abused his power and sought to harm Rashidat and her family.
“On the night of April 3, 2017, after reporting disturbances at her brothel, Rashidat and her husband were attacked and beaten by the thugs. The following day, when they sought help from the king, he dismissed them and ordered Rashidat to leave town. Upset by the king’s actions, her landlord confronted him, leading to a heated argument. Ultimately, on April 5, 2017, Rashidat and her family were forced to flee back to her hometown in Edo State.
“On the night of April 26, 2017, Rashidat was arrested along with her son, who had just come to collect money for his JAMB exam, by armed SARS officers from Ado Ekiti. They were falsely accused of murdering her landlord. Throughout the trial, Rashidat insisted, “I am not the one that killed my landlord; we never had any quarrel. The man had been like a father to me, and I left him alive while leaving the town.”
Despite her claims, Rashidat faced intimidation from the king and his associates, and her legal representation was compromised. On April 7, 2020, Rashidat, her husband, son, and niece were sentenced to death, despite the lack of credible evidence against them. The judge based the conviction solely on hearsay evidence from a witness. Although they appealed the judgment, the appeal was unsuccessful, and the case is currently pending before the Supreme Court. How long must they wait for the verdict? Many have been waiting for a Supreme Court decision for eight years.
“Evidence presented in court indicated that Rashidat had previously been in a romantic relationship with the local king. After ending this relationship, Rashidat brought her husband to live with her. The king retaliated by evicting her from the house he had provided, forcing her to relocate to her landlord’s property, where she secured two rooms. Just three days later, on April 1, 2017, thugs harassed the young women in her brothel. Rashidat called the local police for assistance, but by the time they arrived, the thugs had disappeared,” he stated.
He added that “in light of this overwhelming evidence, we, the members of the Centre for Justice, Mercy, and Reconciliation (CJMR), hereby advocate for the freedom of Rashidat and her immediate release from death row. We implore Your Excellency to listen to her plea and take decisive action to ensure that justice prevails. Every moment counts and we cannot allow this miscarriage of justice to continue. The harm this precarious situation has done to Rashidat’s son, who was preparing to write his JAMB exam at the time of the incident, is immeasurable and warrants immediate attention,” he said.
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