A 23-year-old woman, Aisat Usman, was on Wednesday arraigned before an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrate Court in Ekiti State over an alleged case of child stealing. The case was filed and heard in the court located in the state capital.
According to court proceedings, the defendant, with no fixed address, is facing a one-count charge of stealing contrary to Ekiti State law. She was presented before the Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Taiwo Ajibade.
The Chief Magistrate Court in Ekiti handles criminal cases that do not attract capital punishment, and arraignments are the first steps in the legal process.
The prosecutor, Inspector Olubu Apata, told the court that the alleged incident occurred on 29th May, 2026, in the Odo-Ado area of Ado-Ekiti. He said the matter was reported to the Police after the child was said to have gone missing from a location.
Inspector Apata alleged that the one-year-old child was taken from his mother’s shop in the area. The prosecutor did not provide further details on how the alleged act was carried out during the arraignment.
The prosecutor further told the court that the defendant was apprehended shortly after the incident. According to him, neighbours in the area raised an alarm, pursued the defendant, and the child was rescued.
Inspector Apata informed the court that the offence contravened Section 292(1) of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021. The section prescribes punishment for unlawful removal of a child.
During the court session, the prosecutor requested an adjournment to enable him study the case file thoroughly and assemble witnesses for the trial. He said the request was necessary for proper prosecution of the matter.
The defendant, Aisat Usman, was not represented by a legal counsel at the arraignment. When the charge was read to her, she pleaded not guilty to the allegation of stealing the child.
Following her plea, Chief Magistrate, Mrs Taiwo Ajibade, considered the application for bail. The court has the discretion to grant bail at this stage depending on the nature of the offence and other factors.
The Chief Magistrate granted the defendant bail in the sum of N100,000. The court also directed that two sureties in like sum must be provided as part of the bail conditions.
Mrs Ajibade emphasized that the sureties must be reliable and meet requirements acceptable to the court registry. Bail in criminal cases is granted to ensure the defendant appears for trial while being presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The case was subsequently adjourned to 10th July, 2026, for hearing. The court directed that the prosecution should be ready with the witnesses and evidence on the next adjourned date.
Legal analysts say Section 292(1) of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021 deals with “unlawful removal or taking away of a child under 14 years.
According to the Ekiti State Criminal Law 2021, Section 292 carries a punishment of up to 10 years imprisonment if the court finds the defendant guilty.