Headfort Foundation, a prison reform organisation, has detailed how Mayowa Okedara, a Lagos caretaker, spent over three years in Ikoyi Prison for being unable to bail himself out of police custody.

In a tweet dated June 23, Headfort said Okedara was arrested in November 2018 after fighting to save his life.

According to the foundation, an acquaintance charged Okedara with a knife during an argument before he started fighting to save himself.

“Okedara called for help, but none came as there were generators running at the time. He had to fight for his life, which he did. The acquaintance recklessly inflicted injuries on Mayowa and sustained injuries as Mayowa was trying to defend himself,” Headfort stated.

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The foundation said that someone overheard the ensuing deadly scuffle and drew the attention of people in the vicinity.

According to Headfort, the police admitted at the station that Okedara had no case against him since he was the victim. Nonetheless, they requested he bailed himself out, which he could not, said Headfort.

“To his dismay, his acquaintance left him in custody and he was charged to court for attempted murder. He remained in prison custody and couldn’t afford to get a lawyer,” Headfort wrote.

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The organisation said Okedara came in contact with a representative of theirs in October 2021, who referred his case to the firm of Abdu-Salaam Abbas and Co., a Headfort’s partner.

Headfort stated that its partner represented Okedara for nine months in court on a pro bono basis before his release on June 15, 2022.

“He spent three years and five months in Kirikiri before regaining his freedom,” Headfort tweeted.