Alleged Adultery: Court Grants Ex-minister Turaki N1m Bail
A Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Magistrate Court, has granted Mr Kabiru Turaki, SAN, former minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, bail of N1 million.
The granting of the bail followed his arraignment over false marriage, adultery, and other offences.
However, Turaki, SAN, pleaded not guilty when the First Information Report (FIR) was read to him on Thursday, before a Chief Magistrate sitting at Wuse Zone 2, Abuja.
In the FIR, Turaki was accused of deceitfully inducing a belief of lawful marriage, adultery, and criminal intimidation, contrary to sections 383, 387, and 389 of the Penal Code.
The prosecution told the court that investigation of the case was predicated upon a petition dated August 9, 2024, which was received by the Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) of Police, Force FCID, Abuja.
The charge sheet read; “That you Barrister Kabiru Taminu Turaki, SAN, between December 2014 and August 2016, deceitfully cohabited with Ms. Hadiza Musa Bafta at a hotel called Han’s Place.
“You also cohabited with her at Ideal Home Holiday, Asokoro, between August 2016 and November 2021.
“You hired a place for her at No. 12 Clement Akpagbo Close, Gauzape, from November 2021 and made her believe you were married to her and continuously had sexual intercourse with her which resulted to the birth of a baby girl.
“You abandoned Hadiza Musa Baffa with her only child and denied the paternity. You threatened to use your influence and position to terminate the lives of mother and child.
“You are thereby suspected to have committed the above offences,” it stated.
Shortly after the defendant’s plea, Chijioke Okorie, the prosecuting lawyer, asked the court to set a date for the commencement of trial.
Counsel to Turaki, Mr. A. I. Mohammed, who did not object to the prosecution’s request, applied for bail on the grounds that he would be available whenever required to attend court.
Accordingly, the Chief Magistrate Abubakar Jega, granted Turaki bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties in like sum.
Magistrate Jega also ordered that the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and must provide evidence of the residences and then adjourned the case for commencement of hearing till March 11, 2025.
