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Nadum

Nwitua Nadum, the 57- year-old trader, who allegedly raped Comfort Monday, wason Friday arraigned before a Chief Magistrate‘s Court, Surulere, on afive- count charge of forceful abduction, unlawful carnal knowledge,negligence of duties, seduction and enticement.

Nadum allegedly induced Monday and took her against parents’ will from herfamily in Elele-Alimini, Rivers State, brought her to Lagos in May2009. The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Prosecutor, Mr. P. Ugwunba, a deputy superintendent of police,requested the court to remand the accused in prison since thefirst-count charge of forceful abduction carried a penalty of lifeimprisonment under the provisions of the human trafficking and childrights act.

Nadum‘s counsel, Mr. Kennedy Osenwa, opposed the prosecutor‘s request. “This court has jurisdiction because thedefendant has been arraigned before this honourable court. We areasking this court to grant the defendant bail,” he said.

Osenwa based his bail application on Section 36 (5) of the 1999 Constitution that deemed a man innocent until proven guilty.

The Magistrate, Mrs. A.A. Oshoniyi, ruled that sections 34, 35, 85 andespecially Section 151 of the child rights law gave the court thejurisdiction to hear the case. “No other court apart from the familycourt shall exercise jurisdiction relating to children,” she said.

The magistrate subsequently granted the suspect bail in the sum of N200,000 and two sureties in the like sum.

Oshoniyi said the sureties must be directors in the private sector or level 16civil servants and should deposit their international passports withthe chief registrar.

She added that the sureties must also be property owners in Ikeja.

The case was adjourned to September 13, 2010, for further hearing.