Woman who burns 14-year-old girl genitals remanded in Correctional center

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

A Senior Magistrate Court 1 sitting in Kaduna, has ordered one Mrs Yemi Awolola who is standing trial for inflicting bodily pain on a 14-year-old house help, Princess Michael, be remanded in a correctional facility (prison) until September 10, 2020, when the case will be transferred to a High Court.
Senior Magistrate Court, 3 sitting in Gabasawa, Taiwo Road, Kaduna, had on Monday, July 13, adjourned child torture case levelled against Mrs Yemi Awolola (first defendant) and two minors (second and third defendants) with court registration case number: KMD/204XB/2020, till August 27, 2020, for hearing.
The presiding Magistrate,, Benjamin Hassan, gave the order after reading the appeal to the three defendants both in English and Hausa languages pointed out that, in relation to section 207 of First Information Report (FIR), it is only the High Court that can entertain the matter as Magistrate court lacks the jurisdiction to continue.
The Case came up on yesterday in Magistrate Court 1 instead of Court 3 because the Magistrate in charge of Court 3 has been transferred to another court.
As it stands, the case is expected to be transferred to a High Court when it comes up on September 10 in Magistrate Court 1 pending the advice from the Ministry of Justice, Kaduna State.
Speaking to reporters after the order, Counsel to the three defendants, Ali Ibrahim Omachi disclosed that, there is an effort to resolve the matter outside court leveraging on plea bargain as enshrined in Nigerian laws.