Headfort Foundation, a prison reform initiative, has narrated how Olubunmi Ojo, a 28-year-old resident of Ekiti State, spent over four months in a correctional centre in Ado-Ekiti for failing to pay up a N100,000 debt.

In a series of tweets on Sunday, the foundation said that the police arrested and charged Ojo to court in March after he failed to pay up the N100,000 debt he owed an unnamed man till the deadline elapsed.

The foundation said that although Ojo had paid 20 percent of the debt, the police still charged him to court for “unlawful conversion of N100,000”.

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“He was granted bail at N50,000 with one surety. His brother engaged a lawyer, but unfortunately, the lawyer took their money and didn’t attend to his case,” the tweet reads.

Ojo was remanded in custody for a long time, and without legal representation after the lawyer failed to show up on his behalf. Apart from this, Ojo’s family members also did not have funds they could use in perfecting his bail or engage another lawyer.

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In June, Ojo finally met one of the foundation’s lawyers, who then took his brief and represented him in court. Headfort said that after a while, the victim’s phone was sold so he could pay the complainant.

“After receipt of the money, the complainant showed no interest in the matter’s pursuit and refused to show up in court to withdraw the charge against Ojo,” Headfort said.

“Our lawyer informed the prosecution of this development, but he was unwilling to inform the court. On August 10, 2022, our lawyer informed the court, and they dismissed the charge against him.”

Ojo spent nearly five months in jail.