Teachers Storm Ede Court Over Colleague Beaten By Hoodlums
Leadership of the Osun state branch of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, Monday stormed a magistrate court sitting in Ede, Osun State to give support to one of their colleagues, Mrs Inaolaji Sadia Adekilekun, a teacher of CAC Government School, Talafia, Ede, who was allegedly beaten by one Adeojo Sodiq and his gang.
The 20-year-old Sadiq, who is a native of Ede, had earlier been charged for the offence and was re-arraigned on three fresh charges bordering on disruption of the public peace, conspiracy and assault.
It would be recalled that the accused was earlier charged for conspiring with his accomplices, who are currently at large, to beat the teacher, Mrs Adekilekun on January 24, 2019, at about 9:30 am in her school premises.
However, when the substituted charge was read to him, he pleaded not guilty to all the allegations against him.
The accused person had earlier been arraigned on January 24, 2019, on three count charges which he pleaded guilty and was granted bail in the sum of N100,000 with one surety.
Prosecutor, Principal Investigator of Nigeria Civil Defense Corps, Opeyemi Adeniran, told the court that they have submitted an application to strike out the initial litigation and came with a fresh substituted charge
Reacting to the substituted application, the defence counsel to the suspect, Prince Niran Ojekale, told the court that he was just seeing the new application, however, said he is not objecting to it in order not to cause unduly delay.
The court struck out the former charges and adopted the new charges. Prince Ojekale told the court that the court can still take a judicial decision which was taken on its previous ruling where the accused person was granted bail, saying since then the accused person has not been forced to appear before the court.
Ojekale further said that he has never influenced the case since its commencement, the suspect is ready to stand his trial with his surety also in the court and noting that his being in custody will not assist the matter “The accused person is ready to assist the prosecutor in arresting his gang” he stressed.
He also prayed the court to grant the accused person bail promising that he will not jump bail if granted
But the prosecutor opposed the bail application by Ojekale, who said the victim is presently on a critical condition.
The presiding magistrate, I. O. Oyebadejo, in her ruling ordered the prosecutor to present the complainant before the court and other evidence or she will strike out the case.
She, however, granted bail of N200,000 to the accused person with one surety gainfully employed and resident within the jurisdiction of the court and adjourned the case till March 4 for hearing.
The state chairman of Nigerian Union of Teachers, Comrade Wakil Amuda told newsmen after the court that the union is not relenting saying all necessary actions are going on in order to see that the suspect and his gang are judicially dealt with.
