Girl nabbed for killing father’s friend remanded, OPD pledges free legal services

The Lagos State Office of the Public Defender (OPD) has assured the teenager (name withheld) accused of killing her father’s friend while attempting to rape her, of free and quality legal representation throughout the duration of the trial.
 
The 15-year-old girl and resident of Aboru in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos was yesterday arraigned before the Ebute Metta Magistrate Court presided over by Mrs. Adedayo on a one-count charge of killing one Babatunde Ishola, aged 51 on March 7, 2020, at Nwadolu Street, Aboru, by stabbing him to death with a knife, thereby committing an offence punishable under section 225 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015.
 
The presiding magistrate remanded her at the Correctional Home For Girls, Idi-Araba and subsequently adjourned the case to April 27.

Speaking on the plight of teenagers 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 provide 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 experience, knowledge and understanding of criminal laws of the land.
 
According to her, this principle would be adhered to in all cases handled by OPD on behalf of its clients in courts until justice prevails. She assured members of the public that no stone would be left unturned in their cases while all legal instruments in the arsenal of OPD would be deployed to ensure that justice is not only done, but is seen to be done.
 
Adeyemi further reiterated the commitment of the OPD to increasing the number of visits to the Correctional Centres in a bid to get more number of inmates that will benefit from its free legal services and secure bail for those that are detained for minor offences.