Jubilation rocked on Thursday at the Ogba Magistrates’ Court, Lagos State, as school teacher Adewale Bakare accused of child abuse was released from prison.
It was gathered that the teacher had been remanded in Kirikiri Prison since May 4 before his bail application was granted.
Meanwhile Punch reports that when contacted on telephone, his accuser, Mr Adebisi Arewa, faulted Bakare’s release on bail.
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It was also gathered that at early hours of Thursday, teachers, parents, students and former students stormed the court premises.
Also, at the premises of the school where Bakare teaches in the Sabo area of Lagos State people were celebrating his release.
It was however noticed that a jubilant crowd, who waited for Bakare’s arrival at the court for about two hours, carried placards and banners seeking the court to discharge the teacher.
While they sang victory songs, the teacher broke down in tears when he appeared from the Kirikiri’s vehicle that brought him.
Dressed in a red shirt and black trousers, Bakare thanked God and people for standing by him during his “trial and tough times”.
“Thank you, God, for helping me. Thank you, God, for not putting me to shame. You are my helper, only you deserved to be worshipped, God”, he cried as the jubilant crowd lifted him up.
Speaking with our correspondent, Arewa said that the case was adjourned when he went to court today.
According to him, Bakare’s bail application was not debated.
He said, “How can that be? There are so many loopholes. I cry for this country. Anyway, he can only be released on bail and not freed”.
Recently, there had been protests over Arewa’s allegation that Bakare sexually abused his nine-year-old daughter on the school premises.
According to Punch the protesters as learnt comprised of educators, teachers, parents and former students, protested on the premises of the Nigeria Bar Association, Lagos State Police Command and Lagos Governor’s Office.
The placard-carrying protesters argued that Bakare should not be kept in prison since the accuser failed to produce the victim for forensic tests or provide evidence.
They alleged that Bakare and his accuser earlier had an encounter over a parking space in the school but his accuser denied having any encounter with him.
