By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

Two friends, Jimmy Badmus and Ifeanyi Nanim, who have been incarcerated since 2018 on robbery allegations have regained their freedom.

This follows the intervention of the Foundation for Public Interest Law and Development (FPIL&D), a nonprofit organisation, that champions justice, equity and sustainable development.

The two accused persons were ordered to be released by Justice M. I. Sule of the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan on January 30, 2025.

The Executive Director of FPIL&D, Barrister Yusuf Nurudeen, who announced this in a statement on Thursday, disclosed that Badmus and Nanim were arrested on January 21, 2018, during a raid by the now-disbanded Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) in Apata area of Ibadan, and were subsequently charged to court.

He said the prosecution team had arraigned them on four counts, including conspiracy to commit armed robbery and armed robbery, under Sections 6(b), 1(2)(a), and (b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap. R11, Vol. 14, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

However, the case suffered a prolonged delay until the recent intervention of the Foundation for Public Interest Law and Development, which took up the matter free of charge.

Barrister Nurudeen, who led the Defense team in court, said after studying the case, they opted to rest their case on the prosecution’s evidence, noting that this move ultimately proved pivotal in securing the release of the accused persons.

The court found that cross-examination by the defense team had weakened the prosecution’s case, creating reasonable doubt regarding the defendants’ involvement in the alleged crime.

In delivering his judgment, Justice M. I. Sule of the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, noted that the defense had successfully dismantled the prosecution’s case, establishing that even if the offense had occurred, the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the accused persons were responsible.

The judge, thereafter, dismissed the charges brought by the prosecution and ordered the release of the two defendants.

Speaking on the ruling, Nurudeen hailed the verdict as a victory for justice and due process, stressing that had they been convicted, Badmus and Nanim would have faced a death penalty, as stipulated under Section 3 of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, which mandates execution by hanging or firing squad.

“This case underscores the critical role of pro bono legal services in safeguarding fundamental rights and preventing miscarriages of justice. Our organisation, the Pro Bono Centre is committed to providing free legal representation to indigent and vulnerable persons, who may otherwise suffer wrongful convictions due to systemic failures in the criminal justice system,” he added.