A Magistrate Court sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Monday granted bail to a man, Olalekan, standing trial over the alleged death of a female National Youth Service Corps member linked to an unsafe abortion.
The prosecution had told the court that the defendant impregnated the deceased and allegedly attempted to terminate the pregnancy by procuring abortion drugs for her.
According to the prosecutor, the drugs administered to the victim reportedly led to her death.
The defendant was subsequently arraigned on charges bordering on conspiracy and related offences, said to be contrary to Sections 516 and 230 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State, 2006.
However, Olalekan pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Counsel to the defendant, Mrs Bunmi Adelabu, urged the court to admit her client to bail in liberal terms, citing Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution, which presumes an accused person innocent until proven guilty.
Adelabu further argued that the charge sheet did not expressly establish that the defendant was directly responsible for the death of the deceased.
In her ruling, the presiding magistrate, Mrs A.K. Araba, granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
The court directed that one of the sureties must be a relative of the defendant, while the other must be gainfully employed.
Araba also ordered that the sureties must provide a utility bill, swear to an affidavit of means, submit six passport photographs, and present evidence of tax payment to the Ogun State Government for 2026.
Pending the perfection of the bail conditions, the magistrate ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Ibara Correctional Centre.
The case was adjourned till April 14 for further hearing.
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