Pilot Law

I cried after securing my clients release who has spent 7years in prison unjustly

Ibrahim Sharafdeen graduated from ABU Zaria in 1995 and attended the Nigerian Law School, Lagos Campus. In 1996, he was called to the bar. He was the former pioneer secretary of Offa Bar in Kwara State. Today, he is the owner of Ibrahim Sharafdeen & Co located around Flower Garden area, Ilorin. In this interview with ACTING EDITOR, MUMINI ABDULKAREEM, he talks about his most dramatic moment thus far in practice.
It was when I did my mandatory one year service in Jos North Local Government as council legal adviser. I was with Tubosun Oyelade & Co along Rwanpam Street and one evening somebody came to our office around 4:30 asking to see my boss. But after the secretary took the client to my boss, I was told to attend to him. I was confused because that would be my first encounter with a client as a lawyer Youth Corper. The man said a man whose name was Dan Bima, a photographer was invited by a lady customer to her house to take her photograph. But the lady was robbed by armed robbers the following day and she reported the incident to the police and said she suspected our client who was arrested and arraigned before a magistrate court that lacked jurisdiction to try the offence of armed robbery yet ordered him to be remanded in Kuje prison where he stayed for four years. He was later transferred to Jos prison. It was after his third year in Jos prison that our client came to brief us about the case. After a conference with my principal, it was resolved that we will have to file action for enforcement of his fundamental right and I was told to handle the case. I was initially confused but regained composure. I filed the action before the Federal High Court, Jos where late Justice Kolo was presiding. Under the old rule, enforcement of fundamental right is accompanied with exparte application and motion on notice contemporaneously but experte would be heard first. A date was fixed for the motion experte, which was on Friday. I arrived court very early and since it was exparte application, I did not expect opposition except that I must comport myself well to be able to enjoy the indulgence of his Lordship. Usually, priority is accorded to fundamental rights cases because liberty of citizen is at stake. My case was called. I stood up to announce appearance and I guessed his Lordship had read the affidavit in support and verifying affidavit and fully abreast of the facts. He did not even allow me to say much before granting my application and the immediate release of my client. I expressed my profound gratitude to the court and took a bow. I proceeded to the registry and made arrangement for the enrolled order. This was done and I proceeded to prison with the bailiff. It was almost Jumat prayer time when we got to the prison. The comptroller politely asked me to accompany him to the mosque before attending to my request and I gladly did. My client was released to me immediately we returned from mosque. When I saw Dan Bima, he told me he had a dream the previous night that he would be released on that Friday and started crying. I could not control my emotion and I joined him. It was at that moment I became convinced that the whole thing was arranged by Allah, which was further strengthened by non appearance of the man who came to office to brief us. The matter was handled pro bono. The case was a memorable one as God used me to liberate an innocent person who was unjustly incarcerated.

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