By Ade Joseph, Ilorin
An Ilorin Chief Magistrate Court has granted the request of two former University of Ilorin Vice Chancellors to transfer an alleged abduction of a housewife case against them to another court.
Professors Ishaq Oloyede and Abdulganiy Ambali were to the Magistrate Court following a petition written by one Abubakar AbdulKareem that his wife, Fatima AbdulKareem and his four children, were abducted by the former University chief executives on January 10, 2011.
Among those AbdulKareem also mentioned in his petition were the University of Ilorin Chief Imam; Professor AbdulGaniy Oladosu, Professor Lanre Badmus and twelve others claiming that his action was in line with Sections 97,177,273,386 and 389 of the Penal Code Law.
The petitiomner alleged that by the respondents’ action, his marriage was primed to be destroyed.
According to him, “three of the accused persons in execution of their criminal conspiracy plans, unlawfully kidnapped my wife and ulawfully held (at) an unknown destination.
“ I understand that my wife was being unlawfully held and kept in the first accused person’s uncompleted private residence, while my children were kept and subjected to forced labour, child abuse and molestations by the accused persons”, he added.
However, the former Vice Chancellors had through their lawyer; Dr. L.A Abikan, in a letter to the Chief Registrar of the court asked that the case be transferred to another court arguing that his clients had expressed lack of confidence in the trial judge.
The petitioer’s counsel however countered the application of the defence lawyer arguing that the letter was written without affixing stamp and seal approved by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) .
He also argued that the letter did not meet the requirement of the provisions of Section 10 (1-3) of rules and professional conduct, 2007.
Besides, the lawyer added that besides, the trial judge had been fair to all parties in the case saying he did not believe the course of justice would be perverted in the trial court.
However, the judge, Mrs. M.S Lawal, while granting the request to transfer the case to another court said the administration of justice must be followed in the interest of justice, insisting that transferring the case traditionally was a discretion of the court.
Her words; “the court has no interest in this case other than to ensure that justice must not only be done but must be seen to have been done”. She dismissed the objection of the petitioner’s lawyer for lack of merit and authority.