BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
A 43-year-old patent medicine dealer, Idowu Ezekiel, is currently languishing in jail for allegedly carrying out an abortion on a teenage girl, Rashidat Oyetola, thereby leading to her death.
Ezekiel was said to have prepared a harmful substance for Rashidat to consume, while the pregnant victim allegedly bled to death after ingesting the substance.
It was gathered that Rashidat was taken to the medicine seller for abortion by her boyfriend.
But, the victim’s boyfriend reportedly escaped immediately he heard that the pregnant girl had died after an abortion was carried out on her.
Ezekiel has since been languishing in prison without his case being heard since December 24, 2019 when the matter was first brought before Magistrate O. Badmus.
When re-arraigned before magistrate A. A. Adeyeba recently, the defendant was again remanded without having any legal representation.
The charge against him reads in parts, “Idowu Ezekiel, on or about December 11, 2019, at Ipetumodu town in Osun State, did caused the death of Oyetola Rashidat by preparing a noxious or harmful substance which you know or ought to know that is harmful for human consumption and making Rashidat to take same which eventually caused her death and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code Cap 34, Volume II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.”
The defendant’s plea was not taken, as the magistrate’s court was said to have lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case.
The case file has been forwarded to the Department of Public Prosecution in the state Ministry of Justice for legal advice.
The matter was adjourned till September 29 for mention.
