N500m stolen jewelry: Bayelsa Group fault smear campaign against Ex-Nigerian First lady over trial of accused domestic workers

…accused charged with attempted assassination and armed robbery-Police

A Group, Bayelsa Reinnassance, has faulted the ongoing smear campaign launched in the section of the media over the arrest and trial of those involved in the 2019 burglary of the home of the Former First lady, Dame Patience Jonathan in Otuoke in Ogbia local Government area of the State.

The group, described as “false and wicked” the alleged claims of undue interference and deliberate incarceration of the accused in prison custody leveled against Dame Patience Jonathan.

The Convener of the group, Comrade Charles Omorodion, said a check carried out by the group showed that the accused were duely charged by the Bayelsa Police Command with alleged armed robbery carried out on the home of the former First lady and attempted assassination on the life of the first lady.

Police case, as presented before the Bayelsa State High Court, showed that the accused persons are made up of those that broke I to the Former First lady home and three persons who bought the stolen exotic jewellery and valuables.

The detainees are: Williams Alami, Vincent Olabiyi, Ebuka Cosmos, John Dashe, Tamunokuro Abaku, Sahabi Lima, Emmanuel Aginwa, Erema Deborah, Precious Kingsley, Tamunosiki Achese, Salomi Wareboka, Sunday Reginald, Boma Oba, Vivian Golden, and Emeka Benson.

Out of these accused are the Personal Assistant to the Former First Lady known as Madam Sikpi. She was accused of giving out her boss home key to her Boyfriend to gain entrance and steal various precious valuables.

Also arrested in the accused boyfriend and the person contacted to duplicate the home key of Dame Patience Jonathan.

The nephew to Dame Patience Jonathan, who was sponsored in school by the Former First family and trained on Entrepreneurial skill and a flat bought for him at Okaka Housing estate in Yenagoa, was among those that looted the house and is in prison custody.

One of the accused was reported to have used the proceeds of the theft to organised her wedding in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and bought a landed property behind University of Port Harcourt.

Police Sources told this correspondent that when the former First lady started suspecting that some of her precious jewellery were missing, she retrieved her key from her PA,” but unknown to her, the key had been duplicated.”

” When she changed the lock on third time she noticed the grand theft, the accused decided to break down the bullet proof doors in the house.”

” The accused were alleged to have used dangerous weapons including battle axe, swords and hammer to break down more than six bullet proof doors and safest within the home of the former first lady.”

” They ransacked the whole house. When the convoy of the former first lady returned, they never knew the first lady was not home. What of she had been home, what do you think would have happened with all security details back to their homes.”

Two Nigerians, from Niger Republic, are also involved in the buying of the exotic gold and valuable worth over N500,000,000. They are also standing trials.

According to the office of the Bayelsa Police prosecution counsel, ” the media are just being misled by some persons. These accused made confessional statements and engaged over six lawyers and these lawyers have deliberately refused to attend court hearings.”

It was also gathered that due to the fact that the case is a capital offence in nature, ” if any of the accused counsel did not come to hearing, the case would be adjourned. That is what has been delaying hearing.”

“In this case, if one lawyer does not come to court, the judge will be forced to adjourned the trial. This is what has been frustrating the case.”

The group also denied claims that Dame Patience Jonathan had mounted pressure on the Bayelsa Chief Judge and the Controller of the Medium Correctional detention centre to elongate the incarceration of the accused.

The source also said the last Thursday court sitting was adjourned due to the visit of the Nigeria First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu’s visit to Bayelsa State. The Chief Judge, Justice Matilda Abrakasa Ayemieye and other judges were present at Otuasega, Ogbia Local Government Area of the State.

” The case is a police case. And the accused had lawyers. They made confessional statements which led to the arrest of those who bought the stolen valuable items.”

A close source to the Jonathan’s family however said the smear campaign is a deliberate attempt by the sponsors to force the former First Lady to abandon the case brought against the accused in court,” but they should know that there is no sentiment in law. These accused stole and sold the stolen items”.

” The police were contacted and investigation indicted them. Even the Chief Security Officer to Jonathan’s family was interrogated and cleared. Are the sponsors of the smear campaign in the media being used to stampede the former first lady or the Police to abandon the case based on sentiments?”

” These accused were the ones fingering each other on their level of complicity in the crime. The PA was initially left off the hook but was later arrested and brought back from Port Harcourt as an integral part of the crime.”

” The owner of the Sahara Reporters is a known antagonist of the former First family. And no member of the former first family is ready to engage him on a case subsisting in court. The accused and Thier lawyers should facilitate the case by presenting their defence rather than allow some persons stampede the judiciary.”

He revealed that the families of the accused had come before the former First Lady to plead for leniency, and Dame Patience Jonathan was emotional about the level of theft on her precious jewellery,which she acquired even before she became wife of the Deputy Governor in Bayelsa.

” She was even more interested in how the case will end so that she can have her peace. Why would she be influencing the prison authorities or the judiciary? “