By Emem Idio

YENAGOA – JUSTICE Aliya Nganjiwa, of the Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa has granted the request of the prosecution to take the evidence of Miss Ese Oruru in private at the resumed pre-trial hearing Thursday, in the case involving Dahiru Yunusa, aka “Yellow”, who is standing on a five count charge of criminal abduction, illicit sex, sexual exploitation and unlawful carnal knowledge of a minor, Miss Ese Rita Oruru.

In granting the application, Justice Nganjiwa, who premised the ruling of the court on the provisions of Section 36 subsections 4 (a) and (b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, said: “The evidence of Miss Ese Oruru would be taken by the court in private and in chambers excluding all other persons other than the prosecution, the accused defendant counsels, court clerks and prison officials and any other persons if the accused person does not object.”

Ese-Oruru

According to Justice Nganjiwa: “The defence counsel failed to show what injury or harm the accused person would suffer on account of private hearing for the victim, Miss Ese Oruru,” adding that it is only the evidence of Miss Ese Oruru that would be taken in private as other trials would be done in open court.

Justice Nganjiwa, who adjourned the matter to June 2, for hearing on the substantive suit said: “Let me correct the impression that private hearing would jeopardize the hearing of the substantive suit as other trial would be conducted in public.”

In his reaction defence counsel, Kayode Olaosebekan, said they have learned a lot from the ruling of the court and described the decision of the court “as nothing unusual but a superior opinion by the court”.