Two men – Ajokuji Chidozie and Odijie Prosper, have finally regained freedom 10 years after they were arrested and imprisoned for a crime they didn’t commit.
Chidozie was 19 years old when he was wrongfully jailed with his friend, Prosper for robbery in 2014.
Chidozie (also known as Junior) and his friend Prosper were arrested along with two other suspects – Abass Oyeniyi and Peter Oloyede and charged with robbery and conspiracy.
Chidozie had gone to charge his laptop in his friend’s landlord’s apartment in the Abati area of Egbeda in 2014 when policemen from the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad stormed the house and arrested him and others.
The SARS operatives accused the four suspects of dispossessing a lawyer, identified as Yemi Omodele, of his 2010 model Lexus SUV on December 23, 2013.
Although Omodele later absolved Chidozie and his friend, Prosper, claiming that someone else was the culprit, the policemen refused to release the duo.
In a post announcing their freedom, ‘Ray of Hope Prison Outreach’ wrote, “For ten long years, Ajokuji Chidozie and Odijie Prosper endured unimaginable suffering behind the cold, unforgiving walls of the prison for a crime they did not commit. A flawed justice system robbed them of their freedom, their youth, and their loved ones.
“These men, full of dreams and potential, were unjustly caught in the web of a broken system that failed them at every turn. While the world moved on without them, their lives stood still. They missed weddings, funerals, milestones, and the simple joys of everyday life.
“The pain of losing family and friends who couldn’t hold on any longer, the weight of being forgotten, and the scars of the injustice they endured cannot be measured. Now, after a decade, they are finally free. But freedom, as they’ve come to realize, is just the beginning.
“Chidozie and Prosper are stepping into a society that has moved lightyears ahead of them. The world they once knew is no longer the same. They face overwhelming challenges-mentally, emotionally, and socially. Rebuilding their lives from scratch feels daunting.