JUDICIARY
REOPENED – Alleged Defilement: Court Admits Medical Director to N50m Bail
An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Wednesday admitted the Medical Director of Optimal Cancer Care Foundation, Dr Femi Olaleye, charged with alleged defilement of his 16 year-old wife’s niece to bail in the sum of N50million.
Newsmen report that Justice Ramon Oshodi admitted the defendant to bail with two sureties in like, following the adoption of bail application by defense and counter affidavits by prosecution.
Ramon ruled that the sureties must have landed properties in Lagos and the original documents of the properties must be submitted to the chief registrar of the court.
He also said that the defendant must submit his British, Nigerian and other international passports in his possession to the chief registrar of the court.
The judge further ordered the court audile to verify the residential addresses of the sureties.
Ramon, however, ruled that the defendant be remanded in Ikoyi Correctional Centre pendingwhen he meets the conditions of the bail.
The judge adjourned the case until Dec. 19 for commencement of trial.
The defence lead counsel, Mr Babatunde Ogala, SAN, while moving his bail application dated dated Nov. 24 and filed on 25, prayed the court to grant the defendant bail on liberal term.
Ogala argued that the defendant had had cancer patients who looked up to him for his service and would not be productive if remanded in prison.
He also urged the court to use its discretion to grant the defendant bail adding that he appeared voluntarily in court after he had been served.
”I wish to say they the defendant, not withstanding, is presumed innocent until proven otherwise. I wish to infer to a similar case of Olarewaju Jame. The charged were the same and the circumstances were the same.
“Even in the case of Nnamdi Kalu, who was charged with treason, the court still used its discretion and granted him bail
“The defendant has reliable sureties who are his professional colleagues, willing and ready to put their profession on the line to stand ad sureties for him.
“He has a leading cancer NGO and he has patients who look up to him.
“In view of this my lord, we urge this honourable court to grant the defendant bail on liberal term,”
The prosecution team, led by the Director of the Public Prosecution (DPP,) Dr. Babajide Martins, in his counter affidavit dated Nov. 28, argued that the nature of the charge was serious enough because it attracted life imprisonment.
Martins argued that the complainant was the first wife of the defendant while the nominal complainant was the niece of the wife.
“My lord, what the prosecution is concerned about is the defendant has capability to travel at very short notice. We urge the court to have the defendant submit his Nigerian passport and British Passport well in the interest of Justice.
“More importantly my lord, there is need for defence to present exceptional circumstances for the court to grant the defendant bail.
“If my lord is kind enough to grant him bail, we urge the court to be mindful that the defendant is not at flight risk and does not interfere with the prosecution witnesses.
“He should also make himself available for trial,” the prosecutor said.
Newsmen report that Oleleye is charged with a two-count charge of defilement and sexual assault by penetration.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Th prosecution submitted that the the defendant allegedly defiled the survivor by having unlawful sexual intercourse with her.
The defendant was alleged to have committed the offence between February 2020 and November 2021 on Layi Ogunbambi Close, Maryland, Lagos.
It was alleged that the defendant sexually assaulted the survivor by penetrating her mouth with his penis.
According to the prosecution, the alleged offence contravened Sections 137 and 261 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015. (NAN)
JUDICIARY
Court Remands Landlord for Alleged Defilement of Tenant’s Daughter
A family court sitting at Iyaganku, Ibadan, on Tuesday ordered the remand of one Musibau Lamidi, 50, for alleged defilement of his tenant’s six-year-old daughter.
The Magistrate, Mrs S. A . Adesina, ordered that the landlord should be kept at the Agodi custodial facility pending advice from Oyo State Director of Public Prosecutions.
Adesina did not take the landlord’s plea.
She adjourned the case until April 25 for mention.
Reports says that Musibau, a resident of Olode, Ibadan, was charged on one-count of defilement.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp Gbemisola Adedeji, told the court that the defendant, on March 13, between 8. 00 a.
m. and 4.00 p.m. defiled his tenant’s daughter.Adedeji said that Musibau had an issue with the child’s mother and asked her to pack out.
The prosecutor said that when the woman went to look for a house to rent, the defendant defiled her daughter.
She said that the offence contravened Section 34 of the Oyo State Child Right’s
Law of 2006. (NAN)
JUDICIARY
4 Friends Docked for Allegedly Threatening Cleric’s Life
Four friends were on Monday docked in a Grade ‘A’ Customary Court in Ibadan for allegedly threatening the life of pastor Charles Gold.
The police charged Olatunji Musibau, 44;Abiodun Folarin, 50; Kazeem Oluremi, 60 and Yusuf Sodiq, 23, with conspiracy and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.
The Prosecution Counsel, Mr Philip Amusan, told the court that the defendants allegedly committed the offence on March 8, at about 2 p.
m., at New Bodija Area in Ibadan.Amusan alleged that the defendants and others at large, threatened violence against pastor Gold, of Echo Evangelical Ministry Ibadan.
He said the offence contravened the probisions of sections 516 and 383 of the Criminal Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
The defendants however pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Court President, Mrs Moji Aworemi, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N150, 000 each and one surety each in like sum.
Aworemi held that the surety must be a blood relation to the defendants.
She adjourned the case until April 29, for mention. (NAN)
JUDICIARY
2 Teenagers in Court for Allegedly Stealing Sewing Machine
Two teenagers, Simor Aaron, 19, and Francis David, 18, were arraigned on Wednesday before a Kaduna Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing a sewing machine and other items worth N325,000.
The defendants, both residents of High-Cost Narayi, Kaduna, are standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing, to which they pleaded not guilty.
The Prosecutor, Insp Chidi Leo, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on March 11, at Barnawa Kaduna.
According to Leo, the duo burgled a tailoring shop of one Gladys Peter and stole her sewing machine, six wrappers, and four clothing materials all valued at N325,000.
The prosecutor stated that the defendants were caught and handed over to the police by members of the vigilante group on patrol in the area.
Leo said that the offences contravened Sections 281 and 217 of the Penal Code of Kaduna State, 2017, which stipulates a three-year jail term for stealing and two years imprisonment for conspiracy.
The Magistrate, Ibrahim Emmanuel, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N100,000 each with two sureties each in like sum, who must be gainfully employed.
Emmanuel adjourned the case until April 22, for hearing. (NAN)