By Ghazali Ibrahim
In a remarkable turn of events at a Lagos court on Monday, a young mother who gave birth while in prison was discharged and acquitted after a lawyer, Ogoke Arinze Alex, unexpectedly showed up and offered her free legal representation.
According to Ogoke, he wasn’t scheduled to be in court that day. In fact, he had been informed minutes before arrival that his own case wasn’t on the cause list due to a registrar’s error. But something urged him to step into the courtroom regardless.
Inside the courtroom, he met a young woman in her early 20s, clad in prison uniform and holding her one-month-old baby.
She had been arrested for a misdemeanor in April while pregnant and had remained in custody without legal representation ever since.
“I gently asked her what had happened. She told me she had put to bed inside the prison barely a month ago,” Ogoke recounted in a statement.
Moved by her story, he decided on the spot to represent her. When the matter was called, Ogoke announced his appearance. The complainant was absent, and though the prosecutor was present, they were unprepared to proceed.
Citing relevant provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) of Lagos State, Ogoke urged the court to strike out the case.
Presiding judge, Hon. Justice A. K. Dosunmu Uthman, granted the application, struck out the charge, and ordered the defendant to be discharged and acquitted. The courtroom reportedly broke into applause as the young woman, identified as John Mary, walked out a free woman with her infant in her arms.
The emotional moment has sparked admiration across social media, with many praising Ogoke’s action as an example of true legal service and humanity.
“I left the courtroom smiling, deeply convinced that God directed my steps today,” Ogoke said.
The story underscores ongoing concerns about pretrial detention, inadequate legal aid, and the plight of women in correctional custody, especially expectant and nursing mothers.
