By Kayode Abdulazeez
The chieftain of the People Democratic Party (PDP) Kwara state chapter, comrade Musbau Esinrogunjo was on Wednesday docked at the Justice Funso Dada Lawal State High Court over alleged unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor.
Comrade Esinrogunjo was charged to Court by the state government for forcefully had sexual intercourse with one Aishat Kamardeen, aged 15.
The Counsel to Comrade Esinrogunjo, Joseph Bamgboye (SAN) initially opposed his arraignment before the intervention of the court. Consequently, his plea was not taken after all.
Leading the prosecution team, Kwara State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Ayoola Akande, prayed for the proper arraignment of the suspect, but the Senior Advocate of Nigeria challenged the competency of the arraignment.
Mr. Akande insisted in the court that “the matter is for arraignment. We humbly apply that the charge be read to the defendant.
Furthermore, the one count charge of allegation of rape and unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor was read to the hearing of the suspect.
Meanwhile, the defendant’s plea was not taken.
Prosecution team lead further argued that the accused “is already before the court and he has not been granted bail.
But the defence counsel informed the court that the Department of State Service (DSS) has granted him bail since July 16, 2025.
“He has been granted bail from the custody of a security operative and has not breached the terms of the bail. He is not at large. There is still a bail on his neck”, he said.
Reacting, Ayoola said that “you cannot consider the issue of bail either written or oral until after proper arraignment”.
Presiding Judge Funso Dada Lawal allowed the arraignment of the defendant but deferred the plea-taking to the next adjourned date.
Justice Lawal subsequently adjourned the case to November 13, 2025, for the hearing of the defendant’s application and plea taking, in line with section 228 of the Kwara State Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
