In 2018, an unprecedented negative history, most probably the first of its kind, was made. A man who hails from the Agbobiri community at Okodia Clan in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State made the untold history.
What was it? Mr. Samuel Sunday Otasin took his three biological sons of ages 10, 12 and 14 years respectively to a bush and forced sniper substances down their throats on the accusations that they were wizards. Miraculously, one of the children, Master Success Otasin survived and revealed what happened. The father was arrested and falsely accused his cousin, Mr. John Otasin of instigating him to kill his own children.
In this exclusive interview with JOHN ODHE, John Otasin narrates how what came like a dream landed him to the Okaka Correctional Centre for five years of psychological torture, pains and agony. He also reveals why his cousin roped him in.
Read the excerpts:
You Spent five years in prison. What went wrong?
It remains an inexplicable experience.
It happened like a dream. It happened on December 18, 2018. On that fateful day, I came out of my house and met a cousin who told me that one of my cousins, Samuel Sunday Otasin took his three children to the bush and gave them sniper substances to drink. I was told he went with one Levi Ayah to carry out the unfortunate act. He said one of the children fortunately survived the incident and through him, the police have come to arrest the father of the children.
Two days later, I was in a chiefs council meeting as a chief. During the meeting, some police men walked in. The IPO that was handling the case came in and invited the paramount ruler. After the meeting, the paramount ruler now read a letter that was handed to him by the police. Surprisingly, my name was mentioned in the letter. Several other persons were also mentioned.
The paramount ruler then told us that the police had invited us based on what had happened in the community. At that point, I asked “how does that affect me? He said maybe the suspect may have said something about me since we are from the same family. On that note, the paramount ruler volunteered himself to go to the police on our behalf. When he returned, he advised that we should honour the police invitation, stressing that the police wanted to interview us whether we might have any information to give to them.
So, on January 14, 2019, we went to the police. On reaching there, the deputy commissioner of police was the one that attended to us.
He now asked me “are you the man that advised someone to kill his children? I replied that such a thing did not happen. He now sent somebody to call Mr. Sunday who had already been arrested. The deputy commissioner of police now asked him whether he knew us. Responding, Sunday said “yes. These are the two men that advised me to kill my children.” I then asked the DCP, “can somebody advise someone to kill his own children? As a chief and an elder in the family, how will I advise someone to kill his children?” I told the police that the man was just framing me up. Thereafter, they detained us and started an investigation. After about three days, the IPO told us that we were not involved and that we should bring the sum of N200,000 to bail ourselves.
At that point, my lawyer called me out and asked me to sincerely explain everything to him concerning what transpired which I did. He advised that instead of paying that amount, I should be patient in the cell for some time, that he will charge the matter to court so that I will be freed by the court or else, I will be visiting the police regularly. So, I obeyed my lawyer and the matter was charged to court.”
So, what happened thereafter?
I never knew that was the beginning of a five year journey to prison. Immediately the matter was charged to court, we were transferred from the Criminal Investigation Department at the Bayelsa Police Command to the Okaka Correctional Centre after spending three months in the cell. At the Okaka prison, it was from one adjournment to another till a period of five years. I became so frustrated. Life became so meaningless to me. I was so pained that I knew nothing about what brought me to prison. It was with my personal bitter experience that I drew a conclusion that it is not everyone who finds himself in the prison that is a criminal. I believe that there are some innocent persons languishing in prison over false accusations.
But why will your cousin accuse you of what you did not do?
I am so happy for this question. It was during the court proceedings that I came to understand what really happened. The young man named Sunday Otasin actually killed his own children. The only one that survived came to court and testified against his father. The boy narrated how they were taken to the bush, tied by his father and Levi, and were forced to drink substances. The wife, the mother of the children, also came to court and testified against the father of the children. She also made reference to an incident where the man (Sunday) had buried a certain man alive.
So, why did he mention you amongst those who advised him to kill his children.
That allegation itself is laughable. The truth of the matter is that, he wanted me to drown with him because both of us were not in good terms when he committed that sacrilegious offence. We were having land disputes that we inherited from our fathers. While we were in prison, I reasoned deeply and realised that this man wanted me to go and suffer with him because both of us were having issues. There was a time when a family brother went and sold my father’s land and the people who bought the land decided to bring the money to me, knowing that I owned the land. On hearing that money was paid to me, this same man that killed his children, came to me that I must give him his share of the money. I told him that things are not done that way. So, he kept threatening to harm me. Secondly, he knew very well that I was pursuing a job with the Central Bank of Nigeria that was to give me about N365 million. So, I think it was out of jealousy, coupled with the land issue that he decided to rope me into his own problem.
What was going through your mind when your stay in prison seemed endless?
It was not an easy experience. Even as I speak to you, I have not recovered from that trauma. Being in prison for a good five years wasn’t easy. At a point, I began to lose hope of coming out to reunite with my family again. I started crying out to my wife. But she kept encouraging me. She would advise me to see the prison as my temporary home, expressing optimism that God would use my innocence to surely set me free no matter how long it may take. She was constantly praying for me. Meanwhile, the parent of the man who killed his own children used to come to the court boast that if her son would not come out, I too would not come out of prison. It was like there was a conspiracy against me. If not, you know that your son killed his own children, why are coming to the court to point accusing fingers at me? This also added to my frustration.
How would you rate your wife’s support during your incarceration?
It was top notch. It was during the period of ordeal in the prison that I further appreciated how much my beloved wife loves. Why we were in prison, some inmates used to lament that their spouse had left them. But my wife stood by me. With her little business, she would prepare food and bring little money to me. Sometimes, she would inform me that a relative or a friend sent money. She would ask what to do with it. I would ask her to keep some parts for herself and use the remaining to buy me foodstuffs and toothpaste. She was indeed, a pillar.
With your personal experience, how would you rate the Nigerian judiciary?
The Nigerian judicial system is so slow. I really don’t know what kept us in prison for five years in the case of a man who killed his own children and one of the survivors has come to testify against him. It’s a very, very ugly situation. The system is corrupt. If you look at the lawyers, it’s as if they are playing games. For instance, most times, your lawyer will not tell you that your case will not be heard on the adjournment date. After collecting appearance fees from the clients, both lawyers will pick a new date. Sometimes, an adjournment date could take a stretch of two months or more. Sometimes, you won’t even hear anything about your case for many months.
How was the day of judgement?
Indeed, the day of judgement came suddenly. I never expected it. But I was certain of the victory. It was the day of judgement that I was earnestly waiting for because I knew that l would be set free, having not done anything wrong. The delayed justice was the only problem. Before we were taken to court that morning, I told my cell mates that I would be going to court and I would be set free because I knew I was innocent. I told the man that killed his children that as we were leaving, I won’t return to the cell again. He replied that “all of us are going home.” When the judge was reading, it was like he is bringing you into the case and bringing you out of it again. I became afraid and said to myself, “what kind of ruling is this? Does this man really want to rope me into his problem?” After a long judgement delivery, I was eventually discharged and acquitted. I felt a sudden quake in my heart. I almost fell from the chair I was sitting on. It was a moment of relief to me. It was a moment of freedom. But the man who killed his own children was sentenced to death by hanging. He was immediately taken to Port Harcourt prison.
What is your advice to people about prophets and their prophecies?
People should be careful about prophecies nowadays. They should know that we have few prophets that are real and many that are not real. Even if a prophet tells you that your children or your wife or your parents are witches and wizards, please be cautious. Don’t be in a hurry to take silly actions or take laws into your hands. Rather, look for a real man of God and go for prayers and deliverance. There’s nothing God cannot do. Some of the persons who address themselves as prophets are mere religious businessmen who go about deceiving and extorting unsuspecting Christians and causing comotions in families. Let’s be careful.
