An Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State yesterday remanded a nursing mother, Olufunmilola Adisa, suspected of killing her baby, at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) for psychiatric evaluation.
Adisa, 22, is accused by the police of drowning her 21 months old child in a bucket of water. She is receiving free legal representation from the Office of the Public Defender (OPD). The evaluation would enable medical authorities determine the state of her mental health.
Delivering her ruling, the presiding magistrate, Mrs. Dora Ojo, granted the application of the OPD representing the defendant that based on Section 217 (3) of Lagos Administration of the Criminal of Justice law of 2015, the defendant should be sent and remanded at the teaching hospital for necessary psychiatric test in order to determine her state of mental health.
It would be recalled that the defendant on May 11, was arrested after being alleged to have killed her daughter, Oluwanifemi, by drowning her in a bucket of water at their residence in Gowon Estate, Alimosho local government area of Lagos.
Speaking on the matter, the director, Lagos Office of the Public Defender (OPD), Dr. Babajide Martins, said that the office in line with its statutory responsibility of providing free legal service for the indigent and vulnerable is representing the defendant.
He said OPD came to her rescue by providing free legal representation and ensured that the suspect was immediately moved from the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti to Federal Psychiatric Hospital, Oshodi as an out-patient pending her arraignment before court for further judicial action.
Martins further said that though the case has been adjourned to June 26, for the outcome of the psychiatric examination to be conducted on the defendant, he assured members of the public that OPD would do everything within the legal framework to defend the defendant.
“This is in consonance with Governor Mr. Babajide Sanwo-olu’s commitment to security and governance pillar of T.H.E.M.E.S agenda, that all citizens get access to justice regardless of their socio-economic background” he said.
He, therefore, urged members of the public that the office is still operating within the directive of the state government during the lockdown to ensure that rights of the defenceless are well taken care of irrespective of socio-economic background.
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