Court Acquits Ibrahim Usman After 10 Years in Detention

Ibrahim Usman was discharged and acquitted by the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, after spending 10 years in detention without trial on charges of sexual assault against a 13-year-old minor. Justice Rhaman Oshodi delivered the judgment on the case, which was registered as charge no.

ID/4091C/2017, stating that the prosecution failed to prove the allegations of defilement beyond a reasonable doubt. The evidence presented was deemed insufficient to establish the essential elements of the offense under Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.

Justice Oshodi criticized the prosecution for its inability to file the case until 2017, despite Usman's arrest on June 14, 2016. He highlighted the serious institutional failure within the criminal justice system, noting that Usman was held in maximum security custody at Kirikiri and repeatedly failed to be produced in court for arraignment.

The court condemned the conduct of the custodial authorities and the prosecution's weak case, which relied on a single witness without examining the alleged survivor or presenting a medical report.