A nonprofit organisation dedicated to championing justice, equity and sustainable development, the Foundation for Public Interest Law and Development (The Pro Bono Centre) has secured the release of two persons, Jimmy Badmus and Ifeanyi Nanim, who had been in detention since 2018.
The High Court of Oyo State, sitting in Ibadan, delivered the judgment on Thursday, January 30, 2025, in Charge No. I/146C/2021: The State v. Jimmy Badmus & Anor. The case was heard before Honourable Justice M. I. Sule, who ruled in favour of the defendants, acquitting them of all charges.
Badmus and Nanim were arrested on January 21, 2018, during a raid by the now-disbanded Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) in Apata area of Ibadan, and were subsequently charged to court.
The prosecution had arraigned them on four counts, including conspiracy to commit armed robbery and armed robbery, under Sections 6(b), 1(2)(a), and (b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap. R11, Vol. 14, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
However, the case suffered a prolonged delay until the recent intervention of the Foundation for Public Interest Law and Development, who took up the matter free of charge.
The Executive Director of the Foundation, Yusuf Temilola Nurudeen, who led the Defense team in court, said after studying the case, they opted to rest their case on the prosecution’s evidence, noting that this move ultimately proved pivotal in securing the release of the accused persons.
The court found that cross-examination by the defense team had weakened the prosecution’s case, creating reasonable doubt regarding the defendants’ involvement in the alleged crime.
In delivering his judgment, Justice Sule noted that the defense had successfully dismantled the prosecution’s case, establishing that even if the offense had occurred, the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the accused persons were responsible.
The judge, thereafter, dismissed the charge brought by the prosecution and ordered the release of the two defendants.
Commenting on the ruling, Nurudeen hailed the verdict as a victory for justice and due process, stressing that had they been convicted, Badmus and Nanim would have faced a death penalty, as stipulated under Section 3 of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, which mandates execution by hanging or firing squad.
“This case underscores the critical role of pro bono legal services in safeguarding fundamental rights and preventing miscarriages of justice. Our organisation, the Pro Bono Centre is committed to providing free legal representation to indigent and vulnerable persons, who may otherwise suffer wrongful convictions due to systemic failures in the criminal justice system,” he added.
