Tobi Adebayo
A Nigerian lady, Itunu Babalola, who was wrongfully jailed for a crime she did not commit in Ivory Coast has reportedly passed away.
According to journalist, David Hundeyin, the lady died after contracting an infection in prison.
Recall that Itunu’s plight had been brought to the attention of Nigerians in March by Hundeyin who said that her issues began after reporting a burglary in her apartment to the Ivorian police.
She had reportedly turned down a settlement of N100,000 for her stolen property which cost about N300,000. She also refused to settle the case out of court when the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Bondoukou had prevailed on her to do so as the suspected burglar is his nephew.
“The decision to go to court turned out to be a monumental error of judgment compounded by her own naivety about the Ivorian justice system. The (French-speaking) court did not allow her adequate legal representation or give her a chance to properly state her case. She was speedily convicted and sentenced to 20 years imprisonment,” Hundeyin wrote in March.
CAN raises the alarm over rising prices of cooking gas
He also called the attention of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) to Itunu’s situation.
However, the Commission said plans were underway to engage the services of a legal Luminary to prove the innocence of Itunu Babalola at the Court of Appeal.
Giving an update on her situation via Twitter on Sunday, Hundeyin said that Itunu had died after contacting an infection.
See his tweets below
