By Sani Aliyu, Zaria
Two Teachers of Zaria Children School, Queen Elizabeth Road, GRA Zaria, Kaduna State have been arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s Court at Tudun-Wada, Zaria over alleged defiling of a minor student.
The Prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Corps, Mustapha Abdulkadir told the court that the two teachers are standing trial on charges that was hinged on an unnatural offence (lesbianism), while three other teachers were at large.
He said the alleged offence contravens section 259 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law 2017.
The prosecutor had earlier told the court that on September 11, one Yahaya Aliyu of Tudun Jukun Area in Zaria came to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Zaria Area Command and reported against the defendants.
He said the defendants are Atoyebi Eunice Temitope (female) of No. 2, Dogon Bauchi, Sabon Gari, Zaria and Adeyemo Damilola (female) of Hanwa New Extension, Zaria and three others now at large.
According to the prosecutor, the defendants are teachers at Zaria Children School.
He alleged that sometimes on September 18 when the nominal complainant’s wife was bathing the victim, an 11-year old pupil, and Junior Secondary School (JSS 1) student at the School, she observed that the victim was molested.
“Upon interrogation at home, the victim mentioned the names of the defendants and alleged that it started sometimes in 2023 when the victim was in primary three.
“The victim also alleged that the first defendant Temitope (known to the victim as Mrs Okasha), took the victim to a toilet near class 4A during long break lesson period and put an object into her private part.
“She alleged that the incident happened over three different times and further alleged that Mrs Okasha threatened to inform kidnappers to abduct her if she disclosed the incident to anybody,’’ he said.
The prosecution also told the court that on September 16 when the school resumed the second defendant, Adeyemo Damilola called the victim upstairs (the Secondary School section) and entered female toilet with her.
He added that while in the female toilet, the second defendant inserted something into her private part, an object that looks like a syringe.
The prosecutor told the court that the alleged actions of the defendants violated section 259 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law 2017 as amended.
The presiding Senior Magistrate, Rabi Hashim adjourned the cas to October 22 for further mention and legal advice from the Kaduna State Ministry of Justice. She ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Zaria Correctional Centre.
When journalists reached out to school on the matter and possible hints on the three staff who are at large, one Mr. Apoju Sunday Adeyemi, Principal of the school who did not deny the allegations against the teachers, said the issues are still allegation and investigation was ongoing. “I don’t want to comment further on a matter that is before the court,’’ he said.
