Exclusive: Untold Story of Patience Jonathan’s Aides Detained Since 2019 Over Alleged Jewellery Theft

Over 15 former domestic aides to Nigeria’s ex-First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, remain in custody at the Okaka Correctional Centre in Bayelsa State, nearly six years after their arrest for alleged theft and conspiracy to murder — a case that has now suffered over 40 adjournments.

In an exclusive interview with Saturday PUNCH, two of the detained workers, who spoke from prison, decried their prolonged incarceration, maltreatment, and what they described as a total absence of justice.

“We’ve been in prison since 2019. The police haven’t brought a shred of evidence. The case is stuck because the complainant is still waiting for witnesses — six years later,” one of them lamented.

The workers — Williams Alami, Vincent Olabiyi, Ebuka Cosmos, and others — were arrested in 2019 after an alleged burglary at one of Patience Jonathan’s apartments in Otuoke, Bayelsa State. They were accused of stealing gold jewellery, air conditioners, luxury furniture, and TVs reportedly worth N200 million. But the charges escalated: they were later slammed with 18 counts, including conspiracy to commit murder and armed robbery.

The gravity of the charges, lawyers say, is a deliberate attempt to keep the accused behind bars without bail.

“No Evidence, Just Power Play”

A legal associate with the rights group Tech4Justice, Funmi Adedoyin, who has been advocating for the detainees, revealed that the prosecution has failed to present any substantial evidence. Worse still, the trial has been repeatedly stalled by the absence of prosecutors and witnesses.

“The police couldn’t prove theft, so they added charges like conspiracy to kill the former First Lady. There’s no evidence, no weapon, no plot — just allegations used to justify indefinite detention,” Adedoyin stated.

She also confirmed that efforts to secure bail were repeatedly blocked, while the former First Lady, who initiated the case, has never appeared in court since 2019.

“They Tortured Us for Her to Listen”

One inmate claimed they were tortured under instructions from the former First Lady. “At the police station, they beat us while she listened on the phone. She kept saying the beating wasn’t enough — that we should be brought to her hotel,” the inmate alleged.

Families of the accused have also cried out. Gladys Achese, sister to one of the detainees, described visiting her imprisoned sister as “traumatising.”

“I’m not saying she’s guilty or innocent — just let the court do its job. For six years, nothing has moved,” she said tearfully.

Another relative, Steve Ibiene, expressed dismay over the silence of the judiciary. “If they’re guilty, sentence them. If not, let them go. This is not justice,” he said.

Justice Delayed, Justice Denied

According to Adedoyin, the case has suffered more than 40 adjournments due to judicial delays, court vacations, and the frequent absence of police prosecutors — many of whom have since been transferred out of Bayelsa.

The presiding judge, who has since been elevated to Chief Judge of the state, has reportedly struggled to prioritize the case amidst administrative duties.

In a disturbing twist, Adedoyin disclosed that one of the female detainees lost a child while in custody and was not allowed to attend the funeral. Three others were granted bail only after developing critical health conditions.

No Word from Patience Jonathan

Efforts to get a response from Mrs. Jonathan proved abortive. Calls and messages sent to her family’s media adviser, Mr. Ikechukwu Eze, were unanswered as of press time.

Meanwhile, the detainees and their families are begging for urgent intervention from the Attorney General of the Federation, the Chief Judge of Bayelsa State, and the National Human Rights Commission to prevent what they call “a grave miscarriage of justice.”

As the case continues to drag with no end in sight, it highlights once again the perilous intersection of power, influence, and the painfully slow wheels of Nigeria’s justice system.