Professor of law languishes in Kirikiri prison

Trouble started for the United Kingdom-based Nigerian law teacher when she was dragged before the JIC Taylor Court House at Igbosere, Lagos, for allegedly threatening the life of her neighbour, Eva Ewemade, through text messages. The police alleged that Thomas committed the offence on October 15, 2017 at about 1300 hours at Kings Court Apartments, Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos. In the same charge, she was alleged to have conducted herself in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace, punishable under Section 168 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State. Her trouble was compounded on May 17, 2018 when, during one of the court adjournments on the case, she was alleged to have assaulted the chief magistrate of an Igbosere court while court proceedings were going on, contrary to Section 104 (1)(a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State. It was also alleged that on the same date, time and place, she conducted herself in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 168 (d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State. While the charges were pending against her, she was alleged to have jumped bail. Hence, the bail granted her was revoked and she landed at the Kirikiri prisons after she was arrested. Although some of the charges against Thomas had been dropped, she has been languishing in prison for about seven months. She spent the 2018 Christmas season as well as the New Year day in prison. The complainant, who Thomas was alleged to have threatened with text messages, told the police that she had been living in fear since she received the threat messages and wanted the court to order the embattled professor not to come near her. Chief Magistrate B.I. Bakare, the trial judge, has ordered that a psychiatric test be conducted on the Law teacher to determine whether she was fit for trial. Further hearing in the case has been fixed for January 9, 2019. Culled from dailytrust]]>