Joy Anyim
A Magistrate Court in Lagos State, sitting at Igboshere, has sent 22-year-old Olufunmilola Adisa, accused of killing her 21-month-old daughter, Oluwanifemi, to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Psychiatric Department for psychiatric evaluation.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. Dora Ojo, in her ruling, on Wednesday, granted the application made by the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender (OPD) representing the Defendant.
The Magistrate said that based on section 217 (3) of the Lagos State 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.
Recall that the Defendant was, on May 11, 2020, was arrested for allegedly killing her daughter, by drowning her in a bucket of water at their residence at Gowon Estate, Alimosho Local Government Area of the state.
Speaking on the matter, the Director, Lagos State 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 indigent people and the vulnerable, is representing the Defendant.
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He said: “OPD came to her rescue by providing free legal representation and ensured that the suspect was timely moved from the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) Yaba, to Federal Psychiatric Hospital, Oshodi as an out- patient pending her arraignment before court for further judicial action.
“Though the case has been adjourned to June 26, 2020 for the outcome of the Psychiatric examination to be conducted on the defendant, OPD would do everything within the legal framework to defend the defendant.
“This is consonance with Mr Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to ’security and governance’, that all citizens get access to justice regardless of their socio-economic background.”
He further stated that the agency was operating within the directive of the state government during the lock down in order to ensure that rights of the defenseless are well taken care.
