Awaiting Trial

Last updated

Awaiting Trial
Directed by Chude Jideonwo
Screenplay byChude Jideonwo
Produced by Chude Jideonwo, Gbolahan Gafar, Otito Wilfred Aso
Starring
Music by Timi Dakolo, Ego Ogbaro
Release date
  • 20 October 2022 (2022-10-20)
Running time
73 minutes
CountryNigeria
Languages Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa

Awaiting Trial is a documentary that follows the lives of three people caught by the injustice of the Nigerian Police, [1] and are held by the unfair structures of both the police and the faulty legal system. This is a story not just about systems but about the people they destroy.

Contents

Synopsis

The 2020 #EndSARs protests in Nigeria got the attention of the world and the support of everyone from Beyoncé [2] to Joe Biden, [3] putting the spotlight on the worst symptom of the country’s mass incarceration problem: awaiting trial. That social movement grew against the backdrop of #BlackLivesMatter putting violent criminal justice systems, rising incarceration rates and police brutality on the front burner of global conversation. With the awaiting trial system, citizens who are caught for crimes – even the smallest of crimes – are incarcerated without a charge for months, and years – some up to 20 years for victimless crimes and minor misdemeanours. Many of them die or disappear in prison and police custody. This is a story not just about systems and inequality, but about the people whose lives are destroyed. [4] [5]

The documentary presents the devastating ramifications not just in terms of social justice and fairness, but in terms of decimating families, terrorizing communities and creating a culture of fear. The terror has not ended with two protests. Taking a behind-the-scenes interrogation of this, with never-before-seen revelations from victims, survivors, activists, police and lawyers, this documentary looks at three families whose members have been killed or disappeared by the police, and tells the story of the discrimination and injustice that has destroyed their lives. Directed by Chude Jideonwo (host of the wildly popular #WithChude, [6] a televised series of conversations, some of which have been featured by the New York Times and the BBC), Awaiting Trial was shot in Igbo, Yoruba and English.

Cast

Production

Awaiting Trial was produced and directed by Chude Jideonwo with the recently launched Factual & Unscripted Content Studio, with postproduction handled by AMA Psalmist Visuals and music from Timi Dakolo and Ego Ogbaro.

Awards

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act</span> 1994 U.S. federal law

The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, commonly referred to as the 1994 Crime Bill, or the Clinton Crime Bill, is an Act of Congress dealing with crime and law enforcement; it became law in 1994. It is the largest crime bill in the history of the United States and consisted of 356 pages that provided for 100,000 new police officers, $9.7 billion in funding for prisons which were designed with significant input from experienced police officers. Sponsored by U.S. Representative Jack Brooks of Texas, the bill was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton. Then-Senator Joe Biden of Delaware drafted the Senate version of the legislation in cooperation with the National Association of Police Organizations, also incorporating the Assault Weapons ban and the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) with Senator Orrin Hatch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nigeria Police Force</span> Nigerian government agency

The Nigeria Police Force is the principal law enforcement and the lead security agency in Nigeria. Designated by the 1999 constitution as the national police of Nigeria with exclusive jurisdiction throughout the country, as at 2016 it has a staff strength of about 371,800. There are currently plans to increase the force to 650,000, adding 280,000 new recruits to the existing 370,000. The Nigeria Police Force is a very large organisation consisting of 36 State commands and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) grouped into 17 zones and 8 administrative organs. The agency is currently headed by IGP Kayode Egbetokun. In 2020, it underwent major overhauls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joke Silva</span> Nigerian actress and director

Joke SilvaMFR is a Nigerian actress, director, and businesswoman.

<i>West of Memphis</i> 2012 New Zealand-American documentary film

West of Memphis is a 2012 New Zealand-American documentary film about the West Memphis Three that was directed and co-written by Amy Berg, and produced by Berg, Fran Walsh and Peter Jackson, and Damien Echols and his wife, Lorri Davis. It was released in the US by Sony Pictures Classics to critical acclaim, and received a nomination for Best Documentary Screenplay from the Writers Guild of America.

Chude Jideonwo is a Nigerian TV host, filmmaker and media entrepreneur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Lives Matter</span> Social movement originating in the US

Black Lives Matter (BLM) is a decentralized political and social movement that seeks to highlight racism, discrimination, and racial inequality experienced by black people, and promote anti-racism. Its primary concerns are incidents of police brutality and racially motivated violence against black people. It started following the killings of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and Rekia Boyd, among others. The movement and its related organizations typically advocate for various policy changes considered to be related to black liberation. While there are specific organizations that label themselves simply as "Black Lives Matter", such as the Black Lives Matter Global Network, the overall movement is a decentralized network of people and organizations with no formal hierarchy. The slogan "Black Lives Matter" itself remains untrademarked by any group. Despite being characterized by some as a violent movement, the overwhelming majority of its public demonstrations have been peaceful.

Stay Woke: The Black Lives Matter Movement is a 2016 American television documentary film starring Jesse Williams about the Black Lives Matter movement, and the events that led to the uprising of the movement. The phrase "stay woke" refers to a continuing awareness of issues concerning social justice and racial justice and came to widespread use as a result of Black Lives Matter. The "Stay Woke" documentary gives a deeper understanding to how the movement came to be and what the movement believes.

<i>13th</i> (film) 2016 American documentary film

13th is a 2016 American documentary film directed by Ava DuVernay. The film explores the prison-industrial complex, and the "intersection of race, justice, and mass incarceration in the United States"; it is titled after the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, adopted in 1865, which abolished slavery throughout the United States and ended involuntary servitude except as a punishment for conviction of a crime. This allowed for a constitutional loophole in which black Americans became criminalized and faced involuntary servitude in the form of penal labor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adebola Williams</span> Nigerian media entrepreneur

Adebola Williams is a Nigerian media entrepreneur, journalist, political consultant, and motivational speaker. He is the Group CEO of RED | For Africa. He co-founded and runs Red Africa, Africa's largest portfolio of youth media brands which include Red Media Africa, Statecraft Inc., The Future Awards Africa, and YNaija.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">End SARS</span> Decentralized social movement against police brutality in Nigeria

#End SARS is a decentralised social movement, and series of mass protests against police brutality in Nigeria. The slogan calls for the disbanding of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a notorious unit of the Nigerian Police with a long record of abuse against Nigerian citizens. The protest takes its name from the slogan started in 2017 as a Twitter campaign using the hashtag #EndSARS to demand the disbanding of the unit by the Nigerian government. After experiencing a revitalisation in October 2020 following more revelations of the abuses of the unit, mass demonstrations occurred throughout the major cities of Nigeria, accompanied by vociferous outrage on social media platforms. More than 28 million tweets bearing the hashtag have been accumulated on Twitter alone. Solidarity protests and demonstrations by Nigerians in diaspora and sympathizers occurred in many major cities of the world. The protests are notable for its patronage by a demographic that is made of entirely young Nigerians. The movement has since expanded to include demands for good and accountable governance, considering the unprecedented hardship in the country.

Segun Awosanya, known as Segalink, is a Nigerian realtor, human rights activist, and business consultant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special Anti-Robbery Squad</span> Former Nigerian police unit

The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) was a Nigerian Police Force unit created in late 1992 to deal with crimes associated with robbery, motor vehicle theft, kidnapping, cattle rustling, and firearms. It was part of the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID), headed by the then Deputy Inspector General of Police Anthony Ogbizi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Decarceration in the United States</span> Overview article

Decarceration in the United States involves government policies and community campaigns aimed at reducing the number of people held in custody or custodial supervision. Decarceration, the opposite of incarceration, also entails reducing the rate of imprisonment at the federal, state and municipal level. As of 2019, the US was home to 5% of the global population but 25% of its prisoners. Until the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. possessed the world's highest incarceration rate: 655 inmates for every 100,000 people, enough inmates to equal the populations of Philadelphia or Houston. The COVID-19 pandemic has reinvigorated the discussion surrounding decarceration as the spread of the virus poses a threat to the health of those incarcerated in prisons and detention centers where the ability to properly socially distance is limited. As a result of the push for decarceration in the wake of the pandemic, as of 2022, the incarceration rate in the United States declined to 505 per 100,000, resulting in the United States no longer having the highest incarceration rate in the world, but still remaining in the top five.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Lives Matter movement in popular culture</span>

The Black Lives Matter movement has been depicted and documented in various artistic forms and mediums including film, song, television, and the visual arts. In some instances this has taken place in the form of protest art. These cultural representations have also grown organically among artists who seek to partake in activist efforts in support or in recognition of the Black Lives Matter movement. The themes conveyed in these artistic works address the history of racism and injustice toward people of color in the United States and typically express sentiments of anger and fear as well as solace and hope.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States racial unrest (2020–present)</span> Mass civil unrest driven by police brutality

A wave of civil unrest in the United States, initially triggered by the murder of George Floyd during his arrest by Minneapolis police officers on May 25, 2020, led to protests and riots against systemic racism in the United States, such as in the form of police violence and other forms of violence. Since then, numerous other incidents of police brutality have drawn continued attention and unrest in various parts of the country.

The BREATHE Act is a proposal for a federal omnibus bill, presented by the Electoral Justice Project of the Movement for Black Lives. The bill proposes to divest taxpayer dollars from policing and invest in alternate, community-based approaches to public safety.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Lekki shooting</span> Massacre in Nigeria

On the night of 20 October 2020, at about 6:50 p.m., members of the Nigerian Army opened fire on unarmed End SARS protesters at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos State, Nigeria. Amnesty International stated that at least 12 protesters were killed during the shooting. A day after the incident, on 21 October, the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-olu, initially denied reports of any loss of lives, but later admitted in an interview with a CNN journalist that "only two persons were killed".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mr Macaroni</span> Nigerian comedian (born 1993)

Adebowale "Debo" Adedayo, known by his stage name Mr Macaroni, is a Nigerian actor, content creator and citizen activist. A trained thespian, his popularity grew from his comic skits on social media, where he plays the role of a political figure cum sugar daddy called "Daddy Wa" or a sadistic lecturer called "Professor Hard Life". Debo popularized catchphrases like "Ooin", "Freaky freaky" and "You are doing well".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omowumi Ogunrotimi</span> Lawyer and gender advocate

Omowumi Ogunrotimi is a Nigerian multidisciplinary legal practitioner, founder and executive director of Gender Mobile Initiative. She has worked in over 50 rural communities advocating for safe spaces for vulnerable populations, particularly girls and women.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hope Behind Bars Africa</span> Human rights organisation

Hope Behind Bars Africa (HBBA) is a Nigeria-based human rights organisation closing the justice and inequality gap through the use of legal aid, technology, support for incarcerated individuals and evidence-based advocacy. The organization, uses a social enterprise model in providing access to justice to indigent pre-trial detainees; with 7,500 justice-involved individuals having benefited from its interventions.

References

  1. ""They Don't Know How We Feel Inside": Families of SARS Victims Speak in Devastating Documentary". 2 November 2022. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
  2. "Beyoncé Made a Statement About Ending SARS as Nigeria Continues to Protest". 21 October 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  3. "#EndSARS: Joe Biden urges Nigeria to 'stop attacking protesters'". 21 October 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  4. "A NEW DOCUMENTARY FROM WITH CHUDE INVESTIGATES END SARS". 20 October 2022. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
  5. "REVIEW: Chude Jideonwo's 'Awaiting Trial' refocuses attention on Nigeria's justice hurdles". 9 November 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  6. #WithChude
  7. "AMVCA".