Rape of corps member: Osun monarch in court on stretcher

Posted by admin Headlines, NYSC (National Youth Service Corp), Osun, State News Thursday, October 6th, 2011

Reprieve came the way of an Osun State monarch, Alowa of Ilowa, Oba Adebukola Alli who is standing trial for allegedly raping a corps member, Miss Helen Okpara, as an Osun State High Court sitting in Osogbo, yesterday granted him bail. Alli was brought to the court in Ilesa Prison Ambulance van and remained on stretcher through out the hearing, his health visibly deteriorated.

He has been remanded in Ilesa Prison for some months after the bail earlier granted him was revoked.
The presiding judge, Justice Oyejide Falola yesterday granted him bail, warning him that the bail would be revoked if he fails to appear in the court during the sittings. Alli was arraigned on March 25 in Osiogbo Magistrate court for allegedly raping a 26-year old corps member serving in his town. The case was in August transferred to the High Court from the Chief Magistrate Court after the Magistrate had on July 1 granted bail to the accused monarch but eventually revoked the bail.

Counsel to the monarch yesterday, Mr. Taofeek Tewogbade told the court that the health of his client who was brought to the court by the ambulance of Ilesa prison had seriously deteriorated as a result of the strike embarked upon by medical officers in the state owned hospitals who were attending to him. He pleaded for bail on health ground, pledging that he would appear in court whenever the case is called. Tewogbade who called the attention of the court to the position of his client who was laid on a stretcher throughout the court proceedings said urgent attention of private physicians is required to restore Alli’s health.

The state Counsel who earlier expressed fear that the accused person could jump bail if granted also agreed that the health of the acused has grossly deteriorated. Ruling on the bail application, the Judge,granted him bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties who are residents of the state with tax clearance and two passport photographs.

Falola noted that it is only the living that can be prosecuted, stressed that the need to grant the accused person bail became imperative considering his deteriorated health condition. He also ruled that the accused should have access to his personal physician but should not travel outside the country without an approval of the Registrar of the state High Court.

The case was however adjorned to December 6, 2011.

-Sunwp_posts