OPINION: The court judgement on the failed suicide attempt by Titilayo Momoh at Third Mainland Bridge

Titilayo in court 

By Obuna Geoffrey

Mrs. Titilayo Momoh wanted eternal peace but our Criminal justice system offered her life imprisonment: imagine the emotional turmoil she must have been in. She was too depressed and at a time life became too unbearable for her.  She now decided to take away her life to enjoy eternal peace. To take solace in the dark cool lagoon and to forget her pains and sorrows. Though it is a sin according to the bible and abomination to some society.

She was allegedly duped of #18.7miillion by a Bureau-de-change operator sometimes in 2015.
On March 24, 2017 , she attempted to jump into the lagoon on the third Mainland Bridge, Lagos. On Monday, 24 ,2017, she was hauled up before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate's court for an attempted suicide.  Bitterly, the Chief Magistrate, Mr. A. T. Elias admitted the accused to bail of #500,00 with two sureties in the like sum. That's same woman under depression and was prevented from seeking peace from her creator by the law enforcement agency.

What was her crime? Life has became   unbearable for her after being duped. Her creditors and business associates wants her head. I guess, she is tired of giving an unended excuses, lies and dodging.
Her offence contravened Section 233 of Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, which amounts to life imprisonment.
It is so unreasonable to think to punish a depressed person whom I believed has no knowledge of her actions at the time of an attempted suicide. She has lost all hope. What is the effect of her conviction to the likes of her out there? Will her conviction and imprisonment if successful settled her problems and the piercing thorns in her flesh?
Such a law criminalizing attempted suicide should have been repealed long ago because such a law is against the principle of natural Justice, equity and good conscience. I think it is long overdue for a  drastic judicial review in some of our criminal judicial system.

During 19th century, suicide was considered as a serious crime in Britain. It was punishable by hanging. In 1961, Great Britain realized their errors and passed the suicide Act (1961), and it was followed by the criminal justice Act (1966) in Northern Ireland.  The two Acts meant that the act of suicide and attempted suicide no longer a misdemeanor and illegal. In 1993, the Republic of Ireland became the last European country to decriminalize suicide.

Yet Nigeria, Indian and few backwards and stagnant countries sworn never to make a shift in decriminalizing an attempted suicide and self murder itself.
Titilayo Momoh needed a serious medical treatment, counseling and rehabilitation at a medical hospital not prosecution, conviction and life  imprisonment. I deeply felt her  pains and agonies. May God strengthened her.

C. G. Obuna, Esp.