Court grants dismissed teacher N500,000 bail over “sexual assault”

Labake IDOWU

A dismissed teacher, Igoche Adah has been granted N500,000 bail over alleged sexual assault.

Justice Akeem Fashola of High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Jabi on Thursday, admitted Adah to bail with two sureties in like sum.

The judge also gave other bail conditions to include that the sureties must be Federal Government workers and one of them must deposit his international passport with the registrar of the court for the duration of the trial.

In his ruling, Justice Fashola also remarked that granting of bail in a criminal matter was entirely at the discretion of the court to enable a defendant prepare his defence in the trial.

The judge specifically held that the sexual molestation charge against the dismissed teacher was a bailable offence and not a capital offence.

The judge also vacated the arrest warrant issued against the defendant during the period he refused to appear in court to take his plea.

The court held that having been arrested, arraigned and his plea taken on June 23, the issue of bench warrant had been overtaken by events.

The judge adjourned the matter until Oct. 27 for trial to begin.

Recall that the court had on June 23, ordered the remand of Adah in a correctional centre pending ruling on his bail application.

The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command had charged the dismissed teacher to court on one count bordering on sexual molestation.

Adah was slammed with the one-count charge to the effect that on April 15, 2021, he allegedly repeatedly indecently touched the 14-year old pupil in Lugbe, Abuja while the pupil (name withheld) was in his care.

Adah, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge, punishable under Section 32 of the Child Rights Act.