FIDA Drags Man To Court Over Family Abandonment

The International Fed
eration of Women Lawyers otherwise called FIDA, has dragged one Austine Oziegbe, a native of Edo State to a Port Harcourt Chief Magistrate Court for allegedly battering and beating his wife.
The accused who was docked at Chief Magistrate Court 4 was arraigned on three count charge, private prosecution summon by FIDA before the court on failure to provide necessaries for his family, assault and abandonment on charge sheet No PMC/1419c/16.
The FIDA prosecution counsels led by Joy Nena Igbokwu and Peace Obumba (Esq), told the court that the accused on the April 11, 2016 at their home assaulted and battered his wife with pregnancy which made her to bleed and was rushed to Shaw Sands hospital where she was transfused with two pints of blood.
FIDA further alleged that the accused sent his wife out of their matrimonial home and abandoned her with their 2 years-old child as well as their unborn baby without any support for maintenance.
They further alleged that the accused contravened section 39(1), 78 (a), 79,80,81,82 and 83 of the criminal procedure laws of Rivers State.
The accused pleaded not guilty when the private summon was read to him.
Counsel to the accused Kelechi Njoku urged the court to grant his client bail in libral terms and that the alleged case was a bailable one.
Barrister Njoku averred that the court should exercise its discretion to grant the accused bail adding that the accused has reliable surety as he would not jump bail.
Ruling on the matter, the presiding Chief Magistrate, S.D. Andrew-Jaja, granted the accused bail with N500,000 and one surety in like sum.
The surety must be a civil servant not less than the salary grade level 10 and must tender his photocopies of ID cards and last promotion letter which must reside in Port Harcourt.
The presiding Chief Magistrate while adjourning the matter to 1/8/2016 directed that the court clerk must verify all the needed documents.