Abuja teacher accused of molesting pupil remanded in prison

A high court sitting in the federal capital territory (FCT) has ordered the remand of Igoche Adah, the teacher dismissed over alleged sexual assault, at the Kuje correctional facility.

The FCT police had arraigned the 39-year-old on one count charge of sexual molestation.

Adah was said to have allegedly touched the breast and other sensitive parts of a 14-year-old pupil of Destiny Academy, Lugbe in Abuja where he was teaching on April 15, 2021.

But when he was arraigned on Thursday, the teacher pleaded not guilty to the charge, which is punishable under section 32 of the Child Rights Act.

Emmanuel Agwuamu, his lawyer, had prayed the court to release him on bail while the trial continues.

The court, however, denied the application, citing the exhibits tendered by John Ijagbemi, the police counsel, against his request.

Ijagbemi had argued that the defendant’s bail application should not be granted. He recounted how the teacher refused to appear in court on two occasions in the past without any justification.

Buttressing his point, the prosecution counsel also narrated how a bench warrant had to be issued against the teacher and executed by police operatives before he could be apprehended and brought to court.

Ijagbemi further claimed that while the defendant was on administrative bail, he allegedly committed a similar offence for which he is being arraigned.

In his ruling, Akeem Fashola, the judge, ordered that the teacher should be remanded in the prison till July 12 when his bail application would be considered.

The judge said the exhibits brought before the court by Babaji Sunday, the FCT police commissioner, and other arguments against the bail application need to be properly evaluated before arriving at a conclusion.