I prefer to remain in prison – 26-year-old Benue girl tells court

A 26-year-old house maid, Miss Mary Atte, who was arrested and charged before Isolo Magistrate’s court in Lagos State has refused to leave prison.

She was remanded in prison for stealing her boss’s N2m.

Mary, a native of Benue State said she preferred to stay there in good faith.
She told the court that the prison condition was far better for her than when she was outside.

The declaration came as a shock to the litigants present in the court.

Mary said this when the case was struck out by the presiding Magistrate, Mrs A.K. Shonubi for lack of diligent prosecution and she was freed to go home.

When the Magistrate released her, she became angry and protested openly in court that she was going back to prison and she actually went back as she said.

Before she joined the bus back to the prison, Mary said she was brought to Lagos from her village in Benue State by her sister she simply identified Esther.

According to her, Esther sent her to one man as house help where she served for some months and the man did not pay her the agreed salary.

She further explained that she left the man’s place and went to one Aneke Andrew’s house at John Ije close, Okota as maid and served for some time and Andrew also refused to pay her.

Mary said when it was time for Andrew to pay her, he alleged that she stole his dollars valued over N2m which she denied.

Atte said she was arrested and taken to the police station before she was charged to court for the alleged offence and remanded in prison since December 20, 2016.

According to her, she was initially afraid when she was brought to the prison at Kirikiri, not until she settled down she realized it was a blessing in disguise.

She said the women there are treated fairly and compassionately which she had lacked over the years and would like to stay there despite being freed by the court.
She said if they refused to take her back into custody, she will plead with the matron to employ her there so that she will remain in that environment where people care for others.
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