Lawal Pedro (SAN), counsel to James Aguedo, one of the students charged with gang-raping a student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on Monday appealed to an Ikeja Domestic Violence and Special Offences Court to grant the student bail to enable him sit for an examination.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Aguedo who is 20 years old and a Babcock University student, is standing trial alongside Moboluwaji Omowole, Chuka Chukwu, Peace Nwankama and Josephine Osemeka, all undergraduate of UNILAG.
The defendants are alleged to be among some students involved in the serial gang-rape of a UNILAG student (name withheld), in 2017, within the premises of the institution.
Pedro appealed to the court to allow his client to write the examination scheduled for April by granting him bail.
“By April, he is to start his examination in Babcock University; we urge your lordship to exercise discretion on the most compassionate grounds and grant the defendant bail for him to take part in the examination,” Pedro stated.
Earlier, while addressing the court, Pedro submitted that Aguedo had a health challenge and was charged with a misdemeanor.
“The defendant is suffering a recurring back ailment. We brought not just a medical report, but the history, because he has been attending an orthopaedic hospital,” Pedro said.
Responding, the lead prosecution counsel, Mrs. Fehinti Ogbemudia, prayed that the court to deny the defendant bail. “The prosecution submits that the application for bail lacks merit and should be refused,” she stated.
Following the submissions, Justice Abiola Soladoye adjourned the case until April 18, 2019 for the bail application.
I am Olamide George Nneka, a graduate of Mass Communication from Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria. Reach me via olamide@campusbiz.com.ng