Court Frees Titilayo Benson After Spending 10 Years In Jail Without Trial

• Benson’s journey to jail began on February 8, 2010, when she fought with her friend, Blessing Imade

Thirty-eight-year-old Titilayo Benson who had been held at the Female correctional Facility, Kirikiri, for about 10 years without trial, regained her freedom on Thursday.

Benson was set free by Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo at the Lagos State High Court, following a plea bargain between the state government and the defendant.

“She has been in custody for over 10 years without arraignment,” a representative of the Directorate of Public Prosecution told the judge.

“How did that happen? How can anybody be in custody in 10 years without being in court? It is not possible,” a visibly surprised judge asked.

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Responding to the judge, O.A Bajulaiye-Bishi, a representative of the office of the Attorney-General and the Ministry of Justice, explained that there is evidence of production warrant but the defendant was not brought to court, and it is most likely the production warrant was not delivered.

According to Premium Times, Benson’s journey to jail began on February 8, 2010, when she fought with her friend, Blessing Imade.

Imade cut her with a razor blade, Benson retaliated by stabbing her with a broken bottle. Her friend died after a month, while still receiving treatment for the injury she sustained.

Benson was, thereafter, arrested and detained for months at the State Criminal Intelligence Department (SCID) Panti, before being charged to court.

She was charged before an Ebutte-Meta Magistrate Court for causing the death of another – a matter which the magistrate court has no jurisdiction over.

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Olatunji Isaac, the magistrate, gave a holding order that she be remanded in Kirikiri prison, pending the DPP’s advice. The DPP advised in 2013 that she be charged with murder.

A murder charge with suit number LD/92/13 was filed against Benson before Justice Taiwo’s court. However, she was never produced before the judge, who later struck out the case in 2017 for lack of diligent prosecution.

Benson was never arraigned, tried, or convicted by any court. Yet, she remained in prison for a decade.