Pregnant Woman Begs Margistrate Not To Put Her In Prison

A pregnant woman, Fasilat Yusuf, has reportedly begged the Ikeja Senior Magistrates’ Court, Abule Egba, Lagos, southwest Nigeria, not to send her to Kirikiri Prison because she was about to deliver her baby.

PMNEWS reports that a sobbing Fasilat made this statement recently when she was standing trial for her failure to repay a N70,000 loan she took from her neighbour, Sunday Shobowale, both residents of Dele Faniran street, Oko Oba Agege, Lagos.

According to the report, a heavily pregnant Fasilat took the loan in February, 2013 and the matter became a police case when she failed to pay as at when due.

It was gathered that the defendant was arrested and arraigned before the court in September last year.

Fasilat was docked for a two-count charge of obtaining loan without paying and stealing the N70,000 belonging to Sunday.

According to the police prosecutor, the offence is punishable under section 285 of the criminal law of Lagos State, 2011.

While defending Fasilat in court, Mr. Akinbiyi, counsel to the defendant, pleaded that his client was processing another loan to repay the debt but the company wanted her to put to bed and start work before the loan could be approved.

However, the Chief Magistrate, Mr. Tajudeen A. Elias threatened to send Fasilat to Kirikiri Prisons, Apapa on remand until she was able to do so.

She said that the court had been lenient enough with the defendant who had been on trial since last year and was yet to repay the loan.

Fasilat claimed that the man who impregnated her was in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State in southeast Nigeria from where he sent her only N5,000 a month for feeding and maintenance.

Fortunately for her, before the court rose, the defendant’s mother appeared in the court room. Together with the counsel they prevailed on Elias who later reversed his earlier remand order. But not until the defense counsel had written an undertaking that Fasilat will pay a substantial amount in the next few days.

The case was adjourned till 30 June, 2014 for further resolution of the issue.
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