By our reporter
Barely hours after the Federal Government (FG) today directed the withdrawal of the case against Comfort Emmanson, the young lady caught in the storm of the Ibom Air alleged misconduct controversy, which led to her arrest, arraignment and remand in Kirikiri Correctional Centre, a court has freed her.
An Ikeja Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ogba, Lagos, discharged Emmanson.
The police prosecutor had alleged that Emmanson disrupted the peace on board the flight, assaulted a crew member, and conducted herself in a manner likely to cause breach of public peace/order.
Emmanson had pleaded not guilty at the time,hence her remand to enable trial kick off in earnest.
However, presiding Magistrate Olanrewaju Salami, today struck out the five-count charge against her after police formally withdrew the case.
At today’s proceedings, Police Prosecutor Oluwabunmi Adeitan told the court that the complainant and the airline were no longer interested in pursuing the matter, compelling the police to apply for withdrawal of the case.
She cited instructions from the police top brass -probably in Abuja.
On the strength of the application, Magistrate Salami acceded to the request and ordered Emmanson’s discharge.
Her ordeal at the hands of both the airline and the federal aviation authorities had divided opinion among Nigerians on social media.
A number of lawyers had offered to stand for Emmanson, at no cost, at the next hearing, citing what they called lack of enough evidence by the aviation authorities and the airline in allegedly hounding her to prison.
On social media, many Nigerians brought forth fresh video evidences which purported to show that the lady was the victim in the matter and not the culprit. Some of the comments literally roasted the FG.
