Court remands medical doctor for sexually assaulting teenage job seeker in Osun

A Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State capital, yesterday remanded a practising medical doctor in the employment of the state, Olayode Akangbe Shakiru, for allegedly assaulting and sexually abusing a teenage girl.

Shakiru was arrested last week Thursday by a team of police officers from the Oke-Baale Police Division in Osogbo after family members of the 18-year-old girl reported the matter.

After the completion of the investigation by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Shakiru, 33, was arraigned before the court on a two-count charge bordering on indecent assault and unlawful sexual abuse.

An Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Elisha Olusegun, had appeared for the prosecution on the matter before two counsel from the State Ministry of Justice announced their appearances and the decision of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Osun to take over the prosecution of the matter.

The two who appeared for the state to prosecute the matter are Mosunmola Ogunkola and Motolani Shokefun.

Muideen Adeoye represented the defendant, while a team of lawyers from the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Osun State chapter, including O. O. Olabiyi, Susan Ajeigbe, Temiloluwa Omidiji, Hassana Abdullahi, watched brief for the victim.

The prosecution had informed the court through the charge sheet obtained by The Guardian that Olayode Shakiru, on July17, at the Garage-llesa area, Osogbo, Osun State, in the Osogbo Magisterial District, did unlawfully sexually abuse a teenage girl (name withheld) and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 358 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.

The accused person was said to have unlawfully and indecently assaulted the girl at the same place and time, an offence that is punishable under Section 360 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.

Shakiru, weeping profusely in the dock during the proceeding, pleaded not guilty to the allegations against him.

His lawyer attempted to ask for an oral bail application, but the Chief Magistrate, Olusegun Ayilara, asked that the defence team approach the court with a formal bail application.

Ayilara then ordered that the medical doctor be remanded in the Correctional Centre and adjourned till September 9 for mention.

The magistrate also ordered the police to hand over the case file to the Ministry of Justice.

The victim had claimed that the medical doctor promised to offer her a job at his hospital and that he sexually abused her after inviting her to his house to sign the employment paper.