BREAKING: Trial Of Patience Jonathan’s Ex-Workers Detained Since 2019 Stalls Again Amid Alleged Plot To Delay Case Till After 2027 Elections

The group was originally made up of 15 defendants, but one of them has since died, leaving 14 still facing trial. Fourteen former domestic workers of Nigeria’s former First Lady, Patience Jonathan, who have remained in detention since 2019 over allegations of theft and related offences, now face renewed uncertainty as their trial at the Bayelsa State High Court continues to stall. A source familiar with the case alleged that attempts are being made to prolong the proceedings until after the February 2027 general elections. The group was originally made up of 15 defendants, but one of them has since died, leaving 14 still facing trial. A source familiar with the case told SaharaReporters that the defendants had been prepared to conclude their defence on September 22, 2026, but the proceedings could not continue after the prosecution counsel failed to appear in court. The source alleged that Jonathan had directed that the case be adjourned indefinitely and that the judge should not allow proceedings to continue until after the general elections. “Patience Jonathan has given them a directive to adjourn the case indefinitely and the judge should not allow the sitting till after general election in February,” the source told SaharaReporters. The source further alleged that the defence had been prepared to conclude its case on September 22, after which the matter would have proceeded to the adoption of written addresses, a key stage towards the eventual judgment. “The defence already determined to finish their case on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, and that may have helped them because it would just remind adoption of written addresses,” the source said. The source claimed that the prosecution’s failure to appear on the scheduled date had further stalled the case, leaving the defendants unable to conclude their defence. “But Patience Jonathan told the judge to tactically delay the proceedings, and this is why the prosecution did not show up on September 22, 2026,” the source alleged. According to the source, the defendants have made efforts to secure another hearing date, but their attempts have so far been unsuccessful. “This is exactly a month now. The defendants have tried all their best to get another date, but the Bayelsa judiciary is blocking it. They want these defendants to suffer more,” the source said. The latest development adds to the prolonged legal ordeal of the former domestic workers, some of whom have spent more than seven years in detention while awaiting the conclusion of their trial. “These are people who have already spent seven years in prison while waiting for the trial,” the source lamented. The case has attracted concerns over the length of time the defendants have spent in custody and the repeated setbacks that have prevented the proceedings from reaching a conclusion. SaharaReporters had previously reported that the trial suffered another setback in July 2026 after one of the defendants, Boma Oba, who was reportedly on bail, failed to appear in court. The judge subsequently adjourned the matter to July 28 for the defence to conclude its case. The case involves former domestic workers of the ex-First Lady who were arrested and arraigned in 2019 over allegations relating to missing jewellery and other valuables. Previous reports indicated that the defendants were accused of stealing seven gold bangles and other jewellery, five Samsung air conditioners, two sets of upholstered chairs and six Samsung flat-screen televisions, reportedly valued at about ₦200 million. One of the defendants, Liman, reportedly became seriously ill while in custody and was later granted bail on medical grounds. He subsequently died after his health deteriorated. In 2025, human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju called on Jonathan to discontinue the case following Liman’s death. The remaining defendants and their families have continued to await the conclusion of the proceedings. Follow the Sahara Reporters channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaFClvtH5JM6SSsP7M2Y