Man arrested by EFCC for stealing spends 13 years in prison awaiting trial

Man arrested by EFCC for stealing spends 13 years in prison awaiting trial

Headfort Foundation, an advocacy group committed to justice and human rights, has successfully secured the release of 73-year-old Pa. Nyeche, who awaited trial at the Kirikiri Maximum Prison for 13 years and eight months.

The foundation tweeted on Thursday that Nyeche’s ordeal began at the age of 60 when he was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly stealing.

According to the foundation, his case, which involved charges of stealing, faced a major setback as his file mysteriously went missing, leading to his absence from any court proceedings between 2019 and 2023.

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Headfort Foundation said it stepped in after being referred to the case by a church engaged in prison outreach in March 2022. They traced Nyeche’s missing case file to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) office and promptly brought him before a court on October 20, 2023, where he was re-arraigned for the alleged crime.

Arguing that Nyeche should be released due to having already served more than the prescribed sentence for the crime of stealing if found guilty, the foundation presented a compelling case. But the EFCC requested an adjournment to adequately prepare for trial, a request that the court granted.

“Then our lawyer applied for his bail and undertook to ensure his presence in court on the next adjourned date,” Headfort said.

“On October 20, 2023, after enduring 13 years and 8 months of imprisonment, Pa. Nyeche finally experienced freedom, marking a momentous victory for justice and the Headfort Foundation’s relentless pursuit of fair legal outcomes.”

Man arrested by EFCC for stealing spends 13 years in prison awaiting trial