By John Ikani
Eighteen-year-old Kemisola Oguniyi, who was arrested during the ENDSARS protest, has been delivered of a baby boy in custody.
The 18-year-old girl was arrested, along three others – Ayodele Bukunmi, Ojo Samuel and Ani Obinna, during the crisis and had been remanded in the correctional centre in Ondo town, Ondo State after being charged with arson, riotous assembly, stealing and malicious damage.
Ms Oguniyi, who had been pregnant before she was arrested on October 22, 2020, went into labour on Tuesday, June 15, and gave birth to a baby boy on Wednesday.
She was randomly picked up along with others by personnel of the Nigeria Army on the streets of Akure,for allegedly having connections with #EndSARS protesters who torched the All Progressive Congress (APC) secretariat in Akure, Ondo State.
Her lawyer, Tope Tomekun, in a letter to the Ondo Chief Judge, Oluwatoyin Akeredolu, argued that Kemisola was innocent of the crime preferred against her.
Tomekun said Kemisola was on her way to the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) to collect money for her mother’s treatment when she was apprehended by soldiers and handed over to the police.
“She was later alleged to be part of those who set APC Secretariat Akure on fire during the EndSARS protest that took place in October 2020.
Tomekun has appealed for “urgent hearing” of the case “for the sake of the sinless newborn child and in the interest of justice”.
He also appealed to the Ondo Commissioner of Justice and Attorney-General Sir Titiloye Charles to discontinue the prosecution of Kemisola and others.
