Court remands cleric for attempted rape

A magistrate court in Ilorin has ordered that an Islamic cleric, one AbdulAziz Jamiu of Oko-Awo Compound, Okeya in Irepodun Local Government area of Kwara state be further remanded in prison custody pending the determination of the bail application brought before it.

It would be recalled that the said AbdulAziz Jamiu was on February 21, 2017 accused of being in possession of criminal charm and an attempt to have a canal knowledge of a secondary school girl, a minor, contrary to section 217 and 95 of penal code law.

The accused person had been in prison custody since February 22 on the order of Magistrate Shade Lawal for the alleged offences.

Counsel to the accused, AbdulWahab Issa, had filed a bail application before the magistrate court seeking to admit AbdulAziz Jamiu to bail pending the determination of the alleged criminal case filed against him.

The Counsel pleaded before the court through an affidavit deposed that the accused would not jump bail nor interfere with Police investigation and would not commit any offence or similar offence if granted the application.

Opposing the bail application, the prosecuting counsel, Inspector Toyin Olasupo prayed the court to see the bail application as no submission and to consider the severity of the alleged offence in the society.

After hearing submissions from the prosecuting and defence counsel, the trial magistrate, Magistrate Shade Lawal, adjourned ruling on the application to April 13, 2017.