The law in Benin Republic stipulates that anyone standing trial over criminal matters should not stay longer than six months in custody.
More facts have emerged as to why the detention period of Yoruba Nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, was extended by six months.
Igboho is being held in a prison facility in Cotonou, Benin Republic, after he was arrested at Cardinal Bernardin International Airport, Cotonou, in July 2021.
He had been declared wanted by the Nigerian government shortly before he was arrested in Benin Republic.
An extradition request by the Nigerian government was blocked by a court in Benin Republic on the grounds of “further hearing”, and Igboho has since been in detention in the neighbouring country.
According to his lawyer, Olusegun Falola, the law in Benin Republic stipulates that anyone standing trial over criminal matters should not stay longer than six months in custody unless the incarceration is extended by another six months.[story_link align="left"]104626[/story_link]
Falola explained that the practice is to allow investigating authorities the necessary time to do their job properly before the case is decided. He, however, clarified that there was no criminal charge against him and no extradition request from Nigeria so far.
He said a preventive detention like that of Igboho is meant to keep accused persons in custody before trial on the assumption that releasing them would not be in the society’s best interest – since there is the likelihood that the accused would likely commit more crimes if released in the course of the trial.
The lawyer, who said his team has done everything within the ambits of the law to get reprieve for the embattled Yoruba Nation agitator, concluded that there was more to Igboho’s trial than meets the eye.
He said, “In this country (Benin Republic), anyone that is answering criminal charges and whose trial is yet to be decided can only stay in custody for six months. The incarceration will need to be extended every six months if the case is still pending – up to maximum of five years. That is our law.
“We have done everything so that he can be released but the government has not granted our request. There’s no criminal charge or offence or any evidence of any crime against him. They just want to keep him in custody. May God help us. We have done everything under our laws, but they are still holding on to him.”