A Lagos State High Court in Igbosere has dismissed an application for bail filed by a housemaid, Funmilayo Adeyemi, accused of kidnapping five children from two families.
Justice Raliat Adebiyi held that the defendant provided no evidence of her alleged health challenge and there was a likelihood she could interfere with her trial if she was released on bail.
Adeyemi (a.k.a Mary Akinloye), from Ogboya village in Ife, Osun State, was arraigned on May 4, on a seven-count charge of conspiracy, and kidnapping preferred against her by Lagos State.
The police alleged that in December, 2014, Adeyemi and others at large kidnapped two siblings, Raphael and Michael Esharegaran from their parents' home at Gateway Estate, Magodo-Isheri, Lagos.
On April 8, last year, the defendant was also accused of conniving with others at large to kidnap three children of the Orekoya family, identified as Demola, 6, Adedamola, 4, and 11 months' old Aderomola.
It was claimed that the boys, who were abducted by Adeyemi from their parents' home at Lawanson Road, Surulere, were reunited with their parents after two point five million mairaransom was paid.
She denied the charges and urged the court to grant her bail in the same terms as she was granted by Mr. W. B. Balogun of an Igbosere Magistrates' Court where she was first arraigned on September 15.
But in a 12-paragraph counter-affidavit dated April 25, the State opposed the bail because, among others, the offences involved children.
In her ruling, Justice Adebiyi upheld the prosecution's argument that the grant of bail on health grounds was a special circumstance which required proof.
The judge observed that although the defendant had been in custody since April 15 last year, she "tendered no evidence of her health challenge."
Justice Adebiyi added that there also appeared to be overwhelming evidence for the likelihood that the defendant committed the offences.
The court also found that the offences for which the defendant was accused of carried a sentence of 21 years in prison and that she or her gang members might try to interfere with the trial, if she were granted bail.
"This application fails in its entirety and is hereby rejected," Justice Adebiyi held.
Justice Raliat Adebiyi held that the defendant provided no evidence of her alleged health challenge and there was a likelihood she could interfere with her trial if she was released on bail.
Adeyemi (a.k.a Mary Akinloye), from Ogboya village in Ife, Osun State, was arraigned on May 4, on a seven-count charge of conspiracy, and kidnapping preferred against her by Lagos State.
The police alleged that in December, 2014, Adeyemi and others at large kidnapped two siblings, Raphael and Michael Esharegaran from their parents' home at Gateway Estate, Magodo-Isheri, Lagos.
On April 8, last year, the defendant was also accused of conniving with others at large to kidnap three children of the Orekoya family, identified as Demola, 6, Adedamola, 4, and 11 months' old Aderomola.
It was claimed that the boys, who were abducted by Adeyemi from their parents' home at Lawanson Road, Surulere, were reunited with their parents after two point five million mairaransom was paid.
She denied the charges and urged the court to grant her bail in the same terms as she was granted by Mr. W. B. Balogun of an Igbosere Magistrates' Court where she was first arraigned on September 15.
But in a 12-paragraph counter-affidavit dated April 25, the State opposed the bail because, among others, the offences involved children.
In her ruling, Justice Adebiyi upheld the prosecution's argument that the grant of bail on health grounds was a special circumstance which required proof.
The judge observed that although the defendant had been in custody since April 15 last year, she "tendered no evidence of her health challenge."
Justice Adebiyi added that there also appeared to be overwhelming evidence for the likelihood that the defendant committed the offences.
The court also found that the offences for which the defendant was accused of carried a sentence of 21 years in prison and that she or her gang members might try to interfere with the trial, if she were granted bail.
"This application fails in its entirety and is hereby rejected," Justice Adebiyi held.
No comments:
Post a Comment