Yesterday also, in a moment of profound justice and humanity, Akaninyene Tom Emmanuel walked free after spending over 10 harrowing years in prison without trial. His release came during a goal delivery exercise by the Honorable Chief Judge of Rivers State, following the tireless efforts of our foundation.
Tom’s story is one of pain, perseverance, and, ultimately, redemption.
In 2015, Tom, a humble farmhand from Akwa Ibom, was unjustly arrested while working on farmlands in Etche during one of SARS' notorious mass raids. It was a day that changed his life forever. He was threatened, beaten, and told plainly: “Pay up, or you will disappear forever.” But Tom, impoverished and deeply opposed to the corruption he saw, refused to give in to the extortion. That simple act of defiance cost him everything.
Unable to pay, he was detained, starved, and dehumanized. In 2016, he was remanded—his file forgotten, his voice unheard. For over a decade, he languished behind bars without a single day in court. No trial. No conviction. Just the cold silence of injustice.
Everything changed in March 2025 when Tom’s case came to the attention of our foundation. Our team quickly sprang into action—conducting rigorous investigations, tracing his long-abandoned file, and mobilizing legal resources to fight for his freedom. Yesterday, that fight bore fruit. The Chief Judge ordered his unconditional release.
Tom walked out of prison a free man.
We immediately moved him into a hotel, where he underwent a thorough health and rehabilitative checkup. Clean clothes replaced his rags, warm food filled his stomach, and, for the first time in years, he slept on a real bed. Most moving of all, we reached out to his family, who had spent years mourning in silence, powerless and impoverished. Their reunion is now underway.
But the day’s most touching moment came later that evening when Tom reconnected with Chizoba—a fellow beneficiary of our foundation who was released in 2024 after also spending 10 years without trial. Chizoba, now fully rehabilitated and serving as a Chief Security Officer with a reputable company, embraced Tom with tears and laughter. They had been childhood friends, brothers in adversity, and prayer partners in prison, often clasping hands in the dark and praying for this very day to come.
Yesterday, their prayers were answered.
Their reunion was nothing short of divine. Two men, once buried by the system, now stood tall—free, reunited, and full of hope.
This is why we do what we do.
This is why we must continue.
For every Tom, every Chizoba, and every forgotten soul still waiting in the shadows of injustice—*we will not stop until every chain is broken.
From The Haven360 Foundation.
Comments
Post a Comment