The lengthy delay in the trial of 13 domestic employees of former First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan, who have been detained at the Okaka Correctional Centre in Yenagoa since 2019, has been explained by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Yenagoa Branch.
According to Naija News, the NBA stated that the main reason for the delay was procedural issues involving the several attorneys defending the accused.
The NBA claims that because of the nature of the case—which concerns the death penalty—all of the attorneys must be present for it to proceed.
The delay was caused by the frequent absence of one or more of the counsels, explained Somina Johnbull, Chairman of the NBA Yenagoa Branch.
“I would like to mention that the NBA looked at the case you mentioned. We talked to all the attorneys, and the court isn’t at fault,” Johnbull clarified.
Johnbull said that each of the 13 defendants had a separate attorney, which made it challenging to continue the case if one of the attorneys didn’t show up.
Any day that any of the lawyers don’t come (to court), the case cannot proceed,” he said, adding that there has never been a time when the court was not ready to hear the matter.
The NBA Chairman expressed his surprise at the length of time the case has been delayed, noting that such matters rarely drag on for more than a few years in Bayelsa State, especially with the provision of modern facilities like the e-recording system.
“In Bayelsa, without sounding immodest, it is very strange for any matter to last beyond three, four years because of the facilities that have been provided,” Johnbull remarked.
He also revealed that during the last court session in April, the court volunteered to recuse itself due to the sensationalization of the case.
However, all the defendants insisted on continuing the trial, expressing their confidence in the court. “All the defendants appealed that they still wanted the matter to proceed and that they have confidence in the court,” Johnbull added.
Johnbull made these remarks while briefing journalists on the upcoming activities for the NBA Yenagoa Branch’s annual law week.
The branch’s Law Week will feature former Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo as the keynote speaker on Friday, May 16, 2025. Osinbajo is expected to deliver a speech on the theme: “Setting the Pace: Law, Leadership and Transformational Development.”
“The theme of this year’s event was carefully chosen to address crucial issues in governance, the rule of law, and access to justice,” said Mr. Iniruo Wills, Chairman of the Law Week Planning Committee.
This year’s event will focus on “the areas we are focusing on in terms of the immediate access to justice as well as the role of the rule of law in the overall governance of the peace and stability of our society,” Wills said.
Wills emphasized that the event would also focus on transforming access to justice, with a special emphasis on fostering good governance and stakeholder satisfaction.
The law’s function in the courtroom and outside is to transform access to justice, and in doing so, we keep the public—our stakeholders—in mind. Therefore, while attempting to examine effective governance, leadership, and development, stakeholder satisfaction is at the back of our mind,” he continued.
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