By Correspondent in Minna.
For sexually abusing 13 pupils of his primary school, allegedly,a Minna Senior Magistrate court has ordered a school teacher in Borgu local government area of Niger State, Usman Galadima,an HIV patient, to be remanded in Minna Federal Correctional Facility.
According to prosecution,the accused was brought to the court, by the men of the state criminal investigation and intelligent department (SCID) on multiple charges.
According to the prosecution, the accused sexually abused 13 pupils, age between 8 and 10 in the same primary school where he teaches.
Our Correspondent reports that Galadima separately arraigned on 13 different charges bordering on unlawful sexual intercourse with children, causing grevious hurt and intimidation.
The offences, according to the First Information Report (FIR), contravenes Section 285 of the penal code and section 19(2) of the child right law of Niger State 2010.
The charges against the accused in in part read: “That on the 30th August, 2021, one Musa Abdullahi, the head master of the same school, where you teach in Borgu Local Government in Niger State, reported at New Bussa Police Station that some times in May, 2021, you, Alhaji Usman Galadima, aged 48 years lured 13 of the pupils of the primary school where you teach.
“The pupils, aged between 8 and 10 years, were lured into the office of the assistant head teacher of the same school and separately, you sexually assaulted them.
“That at the same time,you held one of the pupils at her back and pressed her to your body but when she shouted, you left her and she ran out of the class.
“Police detective swung into action and arrested you.” During police investigation, all the victims identified you to have indecently and sexually abused them.”
In his defence, the accused denied all the allegations when read to him by the presiding, Magistrate Hajiya Sa’adatu Gambo.
The Prosecutor Inspector, Aliyu Yakubu, who told the court that investigation into the case was yet to be completed, requested that Galadima be remanded in Minna Custodian Facility, pending the completion of police investigation.
He argued that granting the accusex bail at the initial stage of the case might likely make him to commit similar crime, adding that the accused had multiple charges against him in court.
In his contribution,the defence counsel, Aliyu Shuaibu, made oral application for the bail of his client, leaning on the ground that the accused was presumed innocent in accordance with Section 36 of 1999 Constitution,as amended.
He added that the accused was an HIV patient, arguing that granting him bail would enable him access his medication, promising Gambo would produce reasonable and reliable surety in court at any of the court proceedings.
In her rulling on the oral application, the Presiding Magistrate presided over by senior Magistrate Sa’adatu Gambo, overruled, ordered Gambo to be remanded in Minna Custodian Facility and adjourned the case to November 22,2021 for further hearing.
