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Lukman Olabiyi
A 15-year – old girl (name withheld) accused of killing father’s friend while attempting to rape her, has been offered free legal services by the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender ( OPD ).
OPD promised to offer her free and quality legal representation throughout the duration of the trial.
This was disclosed in a press release issued by OPD, Director of Public Affairs, Mamud Hassan yesterday.
The 15- years -old girl and resident of Aboru in Alimosho local government area, was on Tuesday arrainged before Ebute Metta Magistrates’ Court.
The girl was docked before Mrs Adeola Adedayo on one count charge for killing one Babatunde Ishola aged, 51- years on March 7, 2020, at Nwadolu Street, Aboru, Lagos by stabbing him to death with a knife and thereby committing an offence of punishable under section 225 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015.
The presiding magistrate remanded her at Correctional Home for Girls Idi Araba and subsequently adjourned the case to 27th of April 2020
Speaking on the plight of the teenager and other inmates of Correctional Centres in the state, the Director Lagos State Office of the Public Defender (OPD), Mrs. Olayinka Adeyemi said the Office would not only provided the suspect with free legal services, but also give her and other people being represented in courts on various cases, qualitative legal representation. in terms of exprience, knowledge and understanding of criminal laws of the land
According to her, this principle would be adhered in all cases handled by OPD on behalf if its clients in courts until justice prevails.
She assured members of the public that no stone would be left unturned in their cases but also all legal instruments in the arsenal of OPD would be deployed to ensure that justice is not only done but seeing to be done.
Adeyemi further reiterated the commitment of OPD to increasing number of visit to the Correctional Centres in a bid to get more number of inmates that will benefit from free legal services.
The OPD had earlier in the year visited Kirikiri Correctional Centre, Borstal Institution for Boys, Abeokuta and numerous Police stations in the state in order to provide free legal assistance for the indigent inmates and get bail for those that are detained for bailable offences.
