Pilot Law

Kwara first lady, FIDA, drag cleric, mother to court for chaining teenager for 2yrs 

 

By Kayode Adeoti

The Kwara state first lady, Deaconess Omolewa Ahmed and the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), on Monday dragged an Ilorin-based cleric, Wole Ologbon with his wife, Mariam Ologbon to court for allegedly chaining a teenage girl, Funmi Aremu for over two years.
Also docked alongside the suspected culprits by a magistrate court, sitting in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital is one Tani Arikewe who was said to be the victim’s mother.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the suspects were charged before Magistrate Ibrahim Muhammed for the offence of criminal conspiracy, cruelty to children and wrongful restraint contrary to sections 97, 238 and 256 of Penal Code Law.
The FIR revealed that the matter was reported to the Commissioner of Police by the First Lady and FIDA on 8th March, 2018 and it was subsequently transferred to the Criminal Investigation and Intelligent Department (CIID), Ilorin branch for discreet investigation.
The Police report further stated that the suspects chained the victim, Aremu thereby, restraining her from exercising her liberty for close to two years.
During the investigation, the cleric, his wife and the victim’s mother confessed to have criminally conspired to commit the offence, the FIR revealed.
The prosecutor, Inspector Nasir Yusuf prayed the court not to grant the accused bail premising his reason on the ground that the offence is not ordinarily bailable.
Counsel to the suspects, Olasehinde Adeseko however urged the court to discountenance submission of the prosecutor even as he prayed that the accused be granted bail.
He further urged the court to put into cognisance the advanced age of the accused involved in the matter, adding that they will provide reliable sureties and will not jump bail if granted.
In his ruling, Magistrate Muhammed noted that law has no respect for age nor for emotion, adding that the issue of bail is to the discretion of the court.
He however granted them bail with a fine of N1000 each and two sureties in like sum in which they must submit two recent passport and must show evidence of liquidation.
He further adjourned the matter to 11th April, 2018.
Speaking on the matter with Pilot Law after the court session is the FIDA chairperson, Hajia Salmat Iyabode Muhammad, she said she was on assignment with her team when Aremu was sighted along Adewole road, Ilorin chained with three padlocks.
“She was in front of a shop washing clothes, and she was chained with three padlocks, after several findings, we were able to discovered that she comes from one Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) church in the area. We were told that pastor of the church with the consent of her mother chained her due to her wayward acts.
“We travelled along the line but when we came back, we saw the girl at that same spot, chained, we notified her Excellency who instructed security men to follow us to the place, fortunately, we saw the girl in front of the shop, washing. We were later told she had mental problem, but would chaining her solve the problem? The girl is now in ward 7 at the hospital receiving treatment.
“Before we could get the padlocks opened in the police station, it took us time, and the assistant of able men who forced it opened with iron rod,” Muhammad stressed.

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