Taiye and Kehinde Oriola (not real names), skilled labourers from Ikorodu, have been released from prison after an unjust incarceration that lasted three years and two months.

A tweet by Headfort Foundation, the organisation that secured their release, revealed that police officers from Imota Police Station arrested the twins around an uncompleted building in March 2020 and accused them of stealing.

The foundation revealed that the authorities transferred the twins to the former branch of the Ikeja Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), where they endured five months of detention.

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“Taiye and Kehinde were tortured and forced to admit that they belong to an unlawful society and were unlawfully in possession of firearms,” said Headfort.

In 2021, the court recognised their indigent status and lack of legal representation, prompting the family members of the twins to be referred to the Headfort Foundation for assistance.

The foundation disclosed that the case was adjourned at the Ogba Magistrate Court multiple times pending legal advice.

https://twitter.com/HeadfortF/status/1666348387594039297

“In March 2022, after the legal advice was issued, Taiye and Kehinde were arraigned at the high court and charged with the offences of belonging to an unlawful society and unlawful possession of firearms,” Headfort said.

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“The charge was read to them, and they pleaded ‘not guilty’. Since the date of the arraignment in April 2022, the prosecution could not produce at least one witness in court to give evidence as to what led to the arrest of Taiye and Kehinde.”

Headfort said the prosecution, in their usual manner, failed to produce any witnesses in court on May 17 after a Headfort lawyer applied to the court to strike out the case for want of diligent prosecution.

The court granted the request, and Taiye and Kehinde were discharged by the court after spending three years and two months in prison.