Magistrate Uwani Mohammed Danladi of the Chief Magistrate Court III, ordered his remand following his arraignment by a state prosecutor, Abubakar Nurudeen for physically assaulting a married woman who is an Assistant Chief Lecturer, Fadimatu Musa.
Musa Chiroma, the acting Registrar of the Adamawa State College for Legal Studies, has been remanded in prison custody for allegedly assaulting a female lecturer of the institution, while invigilating an examination.
Magistrate Uwani Mohammed Danladi of the Chief Magistrate Court III, ordered his remand following his arraignment by a state prosecutor, Abubakar Nurudeen for physically assaulting a married woman who is an Assistant Chief Lecturer, Fadimatu Musa.
He was reported to have on April 15, 2024, furiously stormed the examination hall in the full glare of students, pounced on her, slapped her several times, punched her in the face and felled her to the ground; for refusing to honour a note he had sent for a female student who did not pay prescribed fees to be allowed to participate in the examination.
She was however rescued by one Mallam Babangida Aliyu, a non-academic staff member of the college.
SaharaReporters learnt that Mrs Musa, in her capacity as the Chairperson of a Taskforce Committee for the Enforcement of Payment of School Fees, set up by the college; had blocked defaulting students from accessing the examination hall.
She was ruthlessly manhandled in the line of duty, enforcing the college's examination rules, preventing students who could not tender evidence of payment of the requisite fees from writing the examination.
Accordingly, the Acting Registrar was infuriated because she blocked his candidate alongside other defaulting students, which is why he brutalized and humiliated her while the students looked on.
As further gathered, the Taskforce was constituted, following a discovery of fraudulent practice by some high ranking staff members who pass notes to examination officials to allow their girlfriends or students from whom they had collected and pocketed their school fees to take examinations.
Therefore, Chiroma was arraigned for the offences of assault, criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging her lawful duty and voluntary causing of hurt, contrary to sections 244 and 219 of the penal code law, 2018.
He, however pleaded not guilty to the allegations and applied for bail. But the prosecution vehemently objected to the application on grounds that the matter was still under investigation, saying, "admitting him to bail will jeopardise investigation."
He added, "Some of the witnesses we intend to call are students, and the defendant had threatened to expel any student who dare to give evidence against him before the court."
He, therefore prayed the court to discountenance the bail application and remand the defendant at a correctional centre to enable the police complete investigation.
After listening to arguments on both sides, Magistrate Danladi adjourned the matter to May 13, 2024, for ruling on the bail application.
She then ordered the defendant to be remanded till then.
The court session was attended by the Nigerian Bar Association and women groups, who vowed to follow the case till justice was served.