An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court has denied Josephine Osemeka, a female student, University of Lagos (UNILAG), bail over her alleged involvement in the gang-rape of a fellow student.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Osemeka, 20, through Mr N. J. Edechime, her counsel, had filed a motion on notice seeking her release on bail in the most liberal terms.
Justice Abiola Soladoye, in a short ruling, however, denied the student bail, citing the gravity of the alleged offence.
“Bail pending trial is a constitutional right to the accused person.
The court has considered the facts in the affidavit evidence before it; bail is discretion of the court which must be granted judiciously.
“I have the considered view that due to the seriousness of the offence, bail is denied to the applicant,” she said.
The judge adjourned the case until June 27 for continuation of trial.
Osemeka is charged with four others – Moboluwaji Omowole, 19; Chuka Chukwu, 19; Peace Nwankama, 19; and James Aguedu, 20.
They are facing a three-count charge of defilement of a child, permitting the defilement of a child in a premises and procuration.
Aguedo’s bail application had earlier been refused on April 18 and on April 29 the court also denied Omowole, Chukwu and Nwankama bail.
Soladoye had also cited the gravity of the alleged offences when she gave the rulings refusing to grant their bail applications.
NAN reports that the complainant had on Feb. 26 testified that she was lured by Nwankama, her roommate, to High Rise, a staff quarters hostel in UNILAG.
She said she was gang-raped in the hostel by eight male students and sexually assaulted by Osemeka.
She alleged that the gang-rape and sexual assault was videotaped.
According to the complainant, she was also blackmailed with the video and further gang-raped on other occasions by the defendants and their accomplices who are now at large.
The five students have been remanded at the Kirikiri Prisons since Feb. 26, the day they were arraigned for the alleged offences.
