The father of a 7-year-old girl (name withheld), Vincent Fadunmade, who was alleged to have been sexually molested by a teacher of His Grace Group of Schools, Ilorin, has been granted bail in the sum of N200, 000.
Fadunmade was dragged to court for allegedly threatening to bring down the school if the management failed to reduce its levies.
He was also alleged to have threatened to kill founders of the school, Apostle Joshua Adekanye and his wife, Mrs Toyin.
The defendant was further accused of turning violent and on several occasions, attempted to assault staff of the school.
The Prosecuting Counsel, Olasehinde Adeseko, in his submission, prayed the court to remand the defendant in a correctional centre until a formal bail application had been submitted by his counsel.
However, lead counsel to the defendant, Sofiat Usman, a member of the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), urged the court to discountenance the submission of her colleague saying remanding Fadunmade would amount to pre-trial punishment.
She urged the court to grant the defendant bail in the most liberal terms, promising that he would produce reliable sureties and would adhere to the rules of the Court.
The Upper Area Court 1, with Justice Sunday Adeniyi presiding, overruled the submission of the prosecuting counsel, saying that the bail application was at the discretion of the court; and which could be oral or written.
Adeniyi therefore, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N200, 000 and two sureties in like sum; and adjourned the matter till April 22, for continuation of hearing.
The defendant’s daughter was allegedly molested by her teacher, one Akorede Ahmed, in the school toilet.
A police report said Akorede locked up the victim in the toilet, removed her underwear and started fingering her genitals.
The victim was said to have resisted the assault and raised alarm, forcing the teacher to open the door for her to leave. (NAN)
