The special police prosecutor handling the trial of Yunusa Dahiru, the alleged abductor of 14-year-old Miss Ese Oruru has sought an order of the Federal High Court in Yenagoa for the hearing of oral evidence from the victim behind closed doors.
The prosecutor, James Amate told the judge, Justice H. Nganjiwa at the resumed hearing that due to the age of the victim, Miss Ese Rita Oruru and the negative effect the media publicity on the case could impact on her life, the court should order a secret trial where evidence would be taken from her behind closed doors.
“It will also not be in the interest of justice because a child of that nature will be shy to give all the facts of the case before the public. For the interest of justice, it will be better and tidy that evidence be taken in private according to the provisions of the Constitution.”
But the lawyer to the acccused(Yinusa Dahiru), Kayode Olaosebekan,objected to the application describing the ongoing media coverage on the case as the fault of the police.
‘‘Although the law allows it, but we will not agree to private trial if the court reasons, because of the reason of shielding the victim from publicity. Our contention is that the matter is already in the public domain as the prosecutors on their own created media nightmare for the victim.”
On the issue of bail application for the alleged abductor, the prosecutor and defence lawyer also differed on the matter.
While defence lawyer argued that he had filed the bail application on Friday March 11, and blamed the court registrar for the lapses, the prosecutor opposed the bail application insisting that if granted bail, they may not get the accused back for trial, as he is not resident in Bayelsa State.
“Considering the circumstances of this case, the accused is not entitled to bail. In view of the particular circumstances of this case where it took the police over six months to get the accused person, because there are people in the North who clearly assisted the accused. We could not get him this long. If granted bail we may not get him again.’’
After listening to the submissions of the two lawyers, Justice H. Ngajiwa ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody and adjourned to March 21 for hearing on private trial and bail applications.
-Leadership
