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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
An Abuja Chief Magistrate Court has admitted Prof. Zainab Abiola and her domestic staff, Rebecca Enechido, to bail.
Prof Duke Abiola, alongside her domestic staff were charged for assaulting police orderly attached to her, Inspector Teju Moses.
The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, condemned the alleged assault of Inspector Moses and other domestic staff, including Prof Abiola’s housemaid, Rebecca Enechido, and a male suspect currently at large.
The victim claimed that Duke, an activist, grievously assaulted her in the company of some accomplices on Tuesday, September 20, 2022, at her residence in Garki, Abuja, due to her (policewoman) refusal to breach professional ethics by carrying out menial and domestic chores at her house.
While granting their bail applications, Magistrate Elizabeth Wonu, ordered them to produce two sureties who must be reasonable persons with fixed addresses.
In addition, the sureties must swear an affidavit of means, who must be residents within the jurisdiction of the court. They must equally show proof whether they are a tenant or landlord.
Meanwhile, the defendants were ordered by the court to report to the police FCT command every Monday until November 1, to enable them to be arraigned before a competent court of law.
Magistrate Wonu admitted them to bail after listening to the arguments of both counsel in regard to the bail applications. The court further held that if the prosecution failed to arraign the defendants within the time stated, the order of court will abate.
Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, ASP Stanley Nwafoaku informed the court that the prosecution witness, Ms Teju Moses, was not available as she was still recovering from her injuries. He also added that the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) was equally not available. Nwafoaku, therefore, proceeded to ask for an adjournment.
The defence counsel, Mr Monday Adah, in his response, objected to the prayer for an adjournment and urged the court to go on with the proceedings. Adah further informed the court that he had a motion on notice before it, dated and filed September 26, and served and acknowledged by prosecution on September 30.
Nwafoaku said he was aware that the motion was received by his office, but that he had not seen it. He also prayed the court for a short adjournment to enable him respond to the defendants’ counsel’s motion. Adah on his part argued that there was no order before the court to detain the defendants for further investigation.
The court in a short ruling stated that the issue was not about non-service and, therefore, stated that the negligence of prosecution resulting in the prosecutor not being in possession of the motion should not be an issue.
The court, therefore, directed Adah to proceed with his application.
