By Samuel Oyadongha & Emem Idio, Yenagoa
A Group, Bayelsa Renaissance, has faulted the ongoing smear campaign launched in a section of the media over the arrest and trial of those involved in the 2019 burglary of the home of the former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan in Otuoke in Ogbia Local Government area of the State.
The group, described as false and wicked the alleged claims of “undue interference and deliberate incarceration of the accused in prison custody” levelled against Dame Patience Jonathan.
The Convener of the group, Comrade Charles Omorodion, said a check carried out by the group showed that the accused were duly charged by the Bayelsa Police Command with alleged armed robbery carried out on the home of the former first lady and attempted assassination on the life of the first lady.
Police case, as presented before the Bayelsa State High Court, showed that the accused persons are made up of those who broke into the former first lady’s home and three persons who bought the stolen exotic jewellery and valuables.
The detainees who are fifteen in number include two Nigeriens, from Niger Republic, who are also involved in the buying of exotic gold and valuable worth over N500,000,000. They are also standing trials.
According to police sources, when the former First Lady started suspecting that some of her precious jewellery were missing, she retrieved her key from her PA, but unknown to her, the key had been duplicated.
It was gathered that when she changed the lock on third time she noticed the grand theft, the accused decided to break down the bulletproof doors in the house.
Police source said the accused were alleged to have used dangerous weapons including battle axe, swords and hammers to break down more than six bulletproof doors and safest within the home of the former first lady.
According to the office of the Bayelsa police prosecution counsel, “The media are just being misled by some persons. These accused made confessional statements and engaged over six lawyers and these lawyers have deliberately refused to attend court hearings.”
The group also denied claims that Dame Patience Jonathan had mounted pressure on the Bayelsa Chief Judge and the Controller of the Medium Correctional detention centre to elongate the incarceration of the accused.
The source also said the last Thursday court sitting was adjourned due to the visit of the Nigeria First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu’s visit to Bayelsa State. The Chief Judge, Justice Matilda Abrakasa Ayemieye and other judges were present at Otuasega, Ogbia Local Government Area of the State.
“The case is a police case. And the accused had lawyers. They made confessional statements which led to the arrest of those who bought the stolen valuable items.”
A close source to the Jonathan’s family however said the smear campaign is a deliberate attempt by the sponsors to force the former First Lady to abandon the case brought against the accused in court,” but they should know that there is no sentiment in law. These accused stole and sold the stolen items.
“The police were contacted and investigation indicted them. Even the Chief Security Officer to Jonathan’s family was interrogated and cleared. Are the sponsors of the smear campaign in the media being used to stampede the former first lady or the Police to abandon the case based on sentiments?”
“These accused were the ones fingering each other on their level of complicity in the crime. The PA was initially left off the hook but was later arrested and brought back from Port Harcourt as an integral part of the crime.
” The owner of Sahara Reporters is a known antagonist of the former first family. And no member of the former first family is ready to engage him on a case subsisting in court. The accused and their lawyers should facilitate the case by presenting their defence rather than allow some persons stampede the judiciary.”
He revealed that the families of the accused had come before the former First Lady to plead for leniency, and Dame Patience Jonathan was emotional about the level of theft on her precious jewellery,which she acquired even before she became wife of the Deputy Governor in Bayelsa.
“She was even more interested in how the case will end so that she can have her peace. Why would she be influencing the prison authorities or the judiciary?”
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