COURT DIRECTS DPP SHITA-BAY TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATION OF STARVING EVANS, OTHERS

IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Ms Titilayo Shita-Bey has been directed by the an Ikeja High Court to investigate allegations of starvation in the Nigeria Prison Service, NPS.

Justice Hakeem Oshodi gave the direction when Emmanuel Ochai, Counsel to 4th defendant told the court that his clients just told him that they were being starved by prison authority and that they have not been fed in the last 5 days, since Monday.

Ochai made the revelation in the kidnapping case involving the Lagos State Government VS Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike alias Evans and 5 others, Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Chukwunonso Aduba.

Justice Hakeem Oshodi who was disrurbed by the development inquired about the prison in question and was confirmed to be Maximum Kirikiri Prison.

“Please do not do that because they are here. They are innocent until proven guilty”, and directed the DPP to look into the matter.An official of the NPS who stood up in defence of the NPS denied the allegation, stressing that they were fed three times daily.

Counsel to the first defendant, Olukoya Ogungbeje said his client, Evans also confirmed the incident, stressing that it was the food the spouse of one of the suspects brought on Wednesday that they ate and that his clients were also locked up together in a manner that was dehumanising.

In her reply, the DPP, Titilayo Shita-Bey said the suspects were not looking like people that have not been fed for 5 days. She however promised to investigate the incidents.

Ruling on bail application for the third defendant, Ogechi Uchechukwu, spouse of one of the suspects, Justice Hakeem Oshodi dismissed the application, stressing that the defence failed to prove her innocence but sentiment that she has a sick baby to cater for in the East.

He ruled that the husband had already indicted her, saying she is in the know of the nature of his business and that the other suspects were his associates in his drug business.