By Charles Pemu YENAGOA, BAYELSA – One of the 15 domestic workers of former First Lady Patience Jonathan has died after a prolonged illness, a development that comes just days before a crucial ruling in their five-year-long theft trial.
The deceased, identified as Sahabi Liman, passed away in a Port Harcourt hospital after his health deteriorated. According to a prison official, Liman had been on bail for the past three years due to his failing health, which a family source claims began while he was in detention at the Okaka Correctional Centre in Yenagoa.
Liman, who was around 45 years old, was buried on Friday in Port Harcourt according to Islamic rites. His son stated that the family “spent all their fortune on his health before he finally died.”
Liman was among 15 domestic staff arrested in 2019 on allegations of stealing jewelry worth hundreds of millions of naira from Mrs. Jonathan. The accused have consistently maintained their innocence, claiming police operatives used brutal torture to extract forced confessions. During previous court hearings, defendants testified that they were flogged and suspended until they collapsed.
The Bayelsa State High Court is scheduled to deliver a key ruling on September 24, 2025, on the admissibility of these alleged confessional statements. The outcome of the “trial within a trial” could determine the fate of the remaining 14 defendants, who are still in custody.
The case has been marked by repeated adjournments and accusations of delay tactics from Mrs. Jonathan’s legal team. Despite the detailed testimonies of torture, no police officer has been investigated or sanctioned, leading some sources to allege that the charges were fabricated to punish the workers.