Unpaid Salary, House help Abduct Employer's Child

A 38‑year-old domestic staff, Oke Omoloye, was yesterday in Okitipupa arraigned on a two‑count charge of abduction and assault.The accused, of no fixed address, is standing trial in an Okitipupa magistrate’s court in Ondo State.
The prosecutor, Sergeant Zedekiah Orogbemi, told the court that the accused and two others at large abducted 20‑year old Grace Olusola.The victim, who was said to be the child of Omoloye’s employer, was allegedly abducted over unpaid salaries.Orogbemi said the accused, who had been sacked, abducted Olusola to frighten her parents into paying his salaries.

The prosecutor said Olusola was deprived of her liberty and was also assaulted as she sustained injuries while being taken through the bush.He said the accused committed the offences on March 10 at about 11 a.m. on the Okitipupa‑Igbokoda Road.Orogbemi said the offences contravened Sections 355 and 365 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State, 2006.The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.

The magistrate, Mr. Funso Akintoye, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200,000 and two sureties in like sum. He also said one of the sureties must be a civil servant on grade level 14 while the other must be a renowned trader. Akintoye said both must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.He adjourned the case till June 24 for further hearing.