Khadijat Saidu, Birnin Kebbi
Police in Kebbi have charged one Onyebuchi Okafor and one Mansura Shehu for committing adultery which led to pregnancy, contrary to section 369 of Penal Code.
The Presiding Judge of Magistrate Court 1 in Birnin Kebbi, Samaila Kakale-Mungadi, in a ruling rejected oral bail application for Okafor from his counsel and advised the accused person to formalise his bail application.
He ordered the two accused persons be remanded in the correctional service centre till 5th July, 202 for further hearing.
Earlier, the Prosecution, Mr Jibril Abba, told the court that the first accused person, Okafor, was ex- convict, who was convicted by the High Court in a case and should not be granted bail until all investigations on the matter were completed.
“On the June 17th, 2021, at about 900hours, a team of Hisbah Committee invited you Onyebuchi Okafor and you Mansura Shehu of Birnin Kebbi, where you Onyebuchi intentionally had a sexual intercourse with Mansura Shehu and effectively impregnated her without marriage which is against the law.
“And you are, therefore, reasonably suspected to have committed the above-mentioned offence,” he said.
The prosecution also advised the court to strongly revoke his application bail and order for his rearrest.
The Counsel to the accused, Okafor, Chief Magnus Ihejirika, told the court that his client would not jump bail or obstruct course of the investigation if he was granted bail.
He also argued that his client had no record of crime.
Ihejirika, who refuted the claims of the prosecutor that the first accused person, Okafor, was ex- convict, told the court that the court had set aside the conviction of the first accused person and acquitted him.
“We urge my Lord to discountenance with the objection and admit him into bail.
“He would not float the bail conditions. He will provide sureties and be attending court proceedings,” the counsel prayed.
