Estimated reading time: 4 minute(s)
An Owerri high court on Tuesday denied a nurse, Ngozi Ebuzoaju, bail in a child trafficking case.
At the resumed hearing, counsel to the suspect, Lawrence Ukadike, asked the presiding justice, Innocent Njaka, to grant his client bail while the matters goes on.
But the presecution, E. A. Okpara, who represented the state, opposed the bail application on the ground that he had yet to file his counter affidavit, owing to the time he was served by defendant’s counsel.
Okpara, explained to the court that while the bail application was filed on December 3, he was served in court on Tuesday morning.
He, therefore, asked the court for an extension of time to enable him file his counter affidavit in respect to the application.
In his ruling, the judge declined the bail application and therefore adjourned till December 14, for hearing.
The defendant’s counsel had informed the court that while other suspects were charged for child stealing, the police arriigned his client for child trafficking.
The police had arrested one Mrs Chinyere Ohanyere popular known as madam Chichi for allegedly trafficking two children.
Ebuzoaju, who is said to had allegedly been part of the crime was later arrested by the police for allegedly being part of the illicit transaction.
Ohanyere and Ebuzoaju were arraigned separately by the police in court.
While Ohanyere had been granted bail, Ebuzoaju is still awaiting trail at the Owerri Correctional Centre.
