Justice T. S. Umar of the Kwara state high court has denied Dr Joseph Ayodele, who was accused of sedating and raping a nurse in his hospital, bail.

The medical doctor was arraigned on a three-count charge of conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence, obtaining money by false pretence and rape.

The court said that the offences are punishable under the Advance Fee Fraud (Prohibition) Act and the Violence Against Persons Law of Kwara State.

However, the accused person pleaded not guilty to all three charges when read to him in court.

Earlier, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Kwara State, Ayoola Idowu Akande, had urged the court to grant his request to continue to remand the accused person at the federal correctional centre, Oke-Kura.

According to him, the offence upon which Ayodele was arraigned was serious and grave, adding that his release might affect ongoing investigations.

But the defence counsel, led by Toyin Onaolapo, rejected the application of the DPP.

He said there was an urgent need for him to be granted bail or be taken to the mental asylum at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) for a mental examination to ascertain if he could stand trial or not.

He added that his mental and health conditions were deteriorating daily.

After the submissions of the two counsels, the court then adjourned for one hour and 30 minutes to rule on both applications.

At the resumed hearing, the trial judge, T. S. Umar refused to grant the accused bail

Umar said there was no sufficient evidence to prove that the accused is unfit to stand trial.

He also added that there was no report from the correctional centre where he was being remanded that he was unfit to stand trial.

The trial judge, however, said he would rather go for an accelerated hearing and adjourned the matter to July 26, 2023. (Nigerian Tribune)