Yunusa Dahiru, alleged abductor of Ese Oruru, the Bayelsa teenage girl who was taken to Kano, and converted to Islam, has been granted a N3million bail.
The police had arrested Yunusa in Kano on March 3, transferred him to Yenagoa, Bayelsa state capital, where he was arraigned before H. A. Nganjiwa, a justice of the federal high court, on March 8, on a five-count charge bordering on kidnap and sexual exploitation.
He must also provide two sureties in like sum.
The sureties, according to the judge must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court while one must be a civil servant of not less that level 12 while the second must be a title holder.
The judge further said that the sureties must provide tax clearance for the past three years.
While ruling on the bail application, trial judge, Justice H. A. Nganjiwa, said the suspect should be remanded in prison custody pending the perfection of his bail conditions.
Mr. Dahiru was on March 8, 2016 charged with abduction, kidnapping, unlawful carnal knowledge and sexual exploitation by the Police.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
But Kenneth Dika, counsel for the prosecution, told the trial judge that the victim was a minor and deserved the court’s protection.
Dika said the state was ready with six witnesses to ensure successful prosecution of the case.
However, Kayode Olaoshebikan, Yunusa’s counsel, opposed Dika’s application and sought for bail for his client, arguing that it was a matter between “two love birds”.
“It is easy for the prosecution to bring up charges but Yunusa as a man has pleaded not guilty and it is left for the prosecution to prove their case beyond every reasonable doubt,” he had said.
“It is a case of two love birds. In our social parlance, we call it elopement, but government and the state prefer to call it abduction and it is left for the court to decide whether it is abduction or elopement of two minors.”
Nganjiwa also ordered that Yunusa be remanded in prison custody till he fulfilled the bail conditions.
The judge adjourned the matter to April 17 for ruling on the application for Oruru to give evidence in private.
