Suspected pipeline vandals reject trial, want Yoruba interpreter

 

                 The eight men currently standing trial for pipeline vandalism on Tuesday objected to being tried without a Yoruba interpreter.
                 Their arraignment at the Federal High Court in Lagos was billed for Tuesday, but the accused persons stunned the prosecutor, Mr. Justin Enang, when they claimed they don’t understand English.
The development stalled their arraignment, leading to an adjournment till October 3 when an interpreter is expected to be provided.

The accused persons are – Fidelis Bayo, Motiu Awawu, Lawal Aliyu, Akorede Ogunde, Afeez Oladiti, Opeyemi Bolaji, Kola Waheed and Rilwan Adewale.
When the case was called, the accused persons, who were earlier overheard conversing in English, said they will not understand the charge unless it is read in Yoruba.
When the court’s registrar read one of the charges and asked: “Do you understand the charge?” the defendants said “No.”
Enang prayed the judge to allow the registrar to interpret the charge, but Justice Mohammed Yunusa said the registrar is Igbo and only partially understood Yoruba.
He adjourned to enable the prosecutor produce an interpreter and ordered the continued remand of the accused persons at the Ikyoi prisons.
The men were alleged to have committed the offence on August 13 at No. 52, Onikoro Agboyi Town in Alapere Lagos.
They allegedly vandalised a Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) oil pipeline in the area, and scooped out about 10,000 litres of petroleum products for illegal sale.
The products are valued at N970, 000.