Court Remands Student In Prison
Custody Pending Ruling On Bail
NAN
— March 26, 2014
An Abuja Senior Magistrates’ Court in Karu,
FCT on Wedneday, ordered that a student,
Fidelis Ojor, 19, be remanded in Keffi Prison,
pending ruling in a bail application.
Ojor is arraigned for attempted rape of a
minor.
Senior Magistrate, Anna Akobi, fixed the
date after hearing an oral bail application by
the counsel to the accused, Mr Sunny
Egbaji.
Akobi fixed April 4 for ruling in the bail
application.
Ealier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Bulus Samuel,
told the court that Ojor, who lives behind
Gowon Barracks, Abuja, lured a three-year-
old girl into his house where he attempted
to defy her.
Samuel alleged that the case was reported
at the police station on Jan. 21 by Mr
Chibueze Okereke, the girl’s father.
He further alleged that the accused
forcefully inserted his finger into the minor’s
private part, leaving her with bruises and
severe pains.
He said that the offence contravened section
285 of the Penal Code, which prescribed a
seven-year jail term for attempted rape.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the
charge.
Counsel to the accused, Egbaji, made an
oral bail application, stating that “the
accused is a promising young man, who has
unfortunately become a victim of this
allegation’’.
But the prosecutor objected to the
application on the ground that offences
bordering on rape were not ordinarily
bailable, adding that investigation was still
on-going.
He stated that the police were still awaiting
results of the medical test carried out on the
victim from the hospital.
“Granting him bail could affect our
investigation as we are not magicians to
fabricate facts.
“Besides, the accused had earlier been
arraigned on the same matter at the Upper
Area Court in Karu and the prosecutor
applied for withdrawal of the case which was
granted.
“The prosecutor re-arrested the accused,
who was in police custody for more than two
weeks, before he was brought to this court
today (Wednesday).” (NAN)