After spending 10 months at the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prisons, Apapa, a 36 year-old Lagos housewife, Rita Nwaolu, has begged an Ejigbo Magistrates’ Court to jail her instead of remanding her in prison custody perpetually.
The accused begged Magistrate Sherry Solebo to jail her in order to...
minimize her sufferings in custody. She eventually got what she requested for as she was sentenced to two years imprisonment with hard labour.
Shortly before the judgement was delivered on Monday, she lamented that she had spent 10 months in custody and had been abandoned by her husband and family members. She told the magistrate that it was better for her to serve her jail term and regain freedom than continuing to languish in custody while the trial lingers.
Mrs. Nwaolu who was charged for obtaining money under false pretense, changed her plea from not guilty to guilty to enable the judge pass judgement on her immediately. The trial judge subsequently found her guilty and sentenced her accordingly.
Ten months ago, Rita was arraigned in court for fraud under Section 419 of the Criminal Code for allegedly defrauding her three friends - Florence Chukwu, Beauty Akporde and Rose Mberebe - to the tune of N240,000 at No. 36 Eze Awa Street, Ikotun, Lagos.
Back then, she had pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail in the sum of N200,000 with one surety. Unfortunately her husband and family members could not meet her bail conditions, hence her prolonged stay in custody.
Neighbours of the convict described her as a cantankerous woman who was always fighting everybody. A co-tenant, Florence (one of those she defrauded) disclosed that the husband of the accused - Mr. Lawrence - had to abandon her and relocated to Delta State following constant fighting.
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