An Akure Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday ordered the arrest and remand of the Ondo State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Seun Osamaye, over the alleged assault of a Chief Magistrate, Mrs Temitope Alphonso.
Osamaye was charged with assault following an incident said to have occurred at the premises of the Ondo State Ministry of Women Affairs along Igbatoro Road, Alagbaka.
The prosecutor, Inspector Suleiman Adebayo, told the court that the alleged assault took place while the chief magistrate was on an official engagement at the ministry.
According to an affidavit attached to the charge, the commissioner was accused of verbally abusing and physically assaulting the magistrate during the engagement.
The affidavit further stated that the incident allegedly followed a judgment earlier delivered by the chief magistrate which was not favourable to the commissioner.
The defendant, who was represented by her counsel, Mr A.K. Adewusi, informed the court that she was receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Ilara-Mokin, Ifedore Local Government Area of the state.
The defence counsel requested that the matter be stood down to enable him present evidence of the commissioner’s hospitalisation.
Magistrate Damilola Sekoni granted the request and stood down the case for one and a half hours.
Upon resumption, the defence counsel presented a medical report to the court.
However, the prosecuting counsel challenged the authenticity of the medical report, arguing that it did not sufficiently establish that the defendant was admitted or medically unfit to attend court.
In his ruling, Magistrate Sekoni rejected the medical report, describing it as unsatisfactory.
He noted that the document failed to indicate critical details such as the date and time of admission and did not confirm that the commissioner was on hospital admission or incapable of appearing in court.
Describing the defendant’s conduct as a disregard for the court, the magistrate ordered the arrest and remand of the commissioner in a correctional facility.
The court subsequently adjourned the case until Jan. 12 for further hearing.