Damilola, a 29-year-old aluminum fabricator from Lagos, found himself in a troubling situation after being wrongfully accused of theft. On June 26, 2024, he was arrested and charged to court for allegedly stealing his friend’s iPhone 11 Pro Max.
The incident began when Damilola asked the complainant for financial help, but the complainant said he couldn’t help at the time and Damilola went on to get assistance he needed from another friend of his but to his surprise, the complainant came to his house with other persons to accuse him of stealing his phone. Damilola was assaulted by the complainant’s friends and taken to the police station thereafter.
Damilola was arraigned at the Ogba Magistrate court on one count charge of stealing where his mother approached Headfort Foundation’s ‘Justice Hub’ within the court premises and our team took on the case.
For five adjournments, neither the complainant nor the investigating Police Officer showed up in court. On August 23, 2024, after multiple court adjournments with no witnesses, we argued for the case to be struck out for lack of prosecution. The court agreed, and struck out the case from it record.
Damilola’s plight highlights the importance of legal support for those in need. Headfort Foundation for Justice is dedicated to helping individuals like Damilola who face unjust treatment.