By Sunmola Olowookere
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It was indeed, a mixed feelings for an elderly couple, Sulaiman Jimoh and Oluwaseun Fowomo, as they gained their freedom from incarceration.

The couple, who betrayed emotions, shed tears of joy, as the man wiped his face unrestrainedly, while his wife leaped for joy, as they were granted amnesty at the Olokuta prison by the Ondo State Chief Judge, Justice Olutoyin Akeredolu.

The duo were part of the group of 11 inmates granted unconditional pardon by the Chief Judge, at the Olokuta prisons during the weekend.

The woman who told the court that her husband had left her for another woman two years prior to the incident, added that she was travelling to Osun state on the fateful day to give money to her child who had just gained admission into a higher institution because she became solely responsible for the upkeeps of her children when her husband left her.

She narrated how armed robbers attacked them on the way to Ikeji and how policemen mistook her for a member of a kidnap syndicate while she was waiting at a spot in Ikeji.

She claimed that they refused to listen to her explanation of how she was robbed and got stranded at that point but went ahead to charge her with kidnapping.

 She stated further that her estranged husband who came to check on her at the police station out of concern upon hearing of her arrest was also taken in as her accomplice in the crime of kidnapping.

The husband, Suleiman, who looked visibly shaken stated that though they tried all they could to make the police men understand that they were not kidnappers, but they would not be dissuaded from their belief.

He stated that they were therefore charged to court and they were remanded at the prison custody by the Magistrate court.

Upon interrogation by the Chief Judge who presided over the court sitting at the prison premises, Suleiman said  he was a welder, but had to start driving trucks due to the injury he had on his eyes.

He claimed that he could no longer cater for his children when his vehicle developed fault and that he had been a responsible father though he had a new wife prior to the damage on his vehicle.

Akeredolu, while pardoning the duo warned the man sternly to be alive to his responsibilities so that his wife would not wander into trouble spots in a bid to make ends meet again in the future.