Akure Magistrate Court Orders Arrest, Remand of Commissioner for Contempt and Alleged Threats
A Magistrate Court sitting in Akure, Ondo State, has ordered the arrest and remand of the Ondo State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Seun Osamaye, over allegations of assault, intimidation, and threats to life against a serving judicial officer.
The arrest order was issued on Wednesday by Magistrate Damilola Sekoni following the commissioner’s failure to appear in court to answer criminal charges brought against her by Chief Magistrate Mrs. Temitope Alphonso.
Background of the Alleged Incident
According to court documents, the alleged assault occurred within the premises of the Ministry of Women Affairs, Akure, while Chief Magistrate Alphonso was on an official engagement with the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, in the presence of staff members.
In an affidavit attached to the charge, Magistrate Alphonso alleged that the confrontation arose from a judgment she had previously delivered, which was unfavourable to the commissioner.
She accused Mrs. Osamaye of verbal abuse, physical assault, and grave threats to her life during the encounter.
Allegations Contained in the Affidavit
The affidavit deposed to by Magistrate Alphonso stated, in part:
“That when I asked her to stop cursing, the defendant told me to shut up and said I was just a mere Magistrate, adding that even the Chief Judge of Ondo State cannot open his mouth when she is talking.
The defendant further warned me to watch my back, claiming she had all the apparatus to make me go missing if I was not careful. She beat her chest while making the threat.
She also stated that by the time she was finished with me, the Governor of Ondo State would not be able to rescue me, let alone the Chief Judge.”
The magistrate further alleged that the commissioner boasted of immunity from accountability, claiming that neither the Governor of Ondo State nor the Chief Judge could question her actions.
Court Proceedings and Rejection of Medical Excuse
At the hearing, Mrs. Osamaye was absent from court. Her counsel, Barrister Adewusi, informed the court that the commissioner was receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Ilara-Mokin and sought a stand-down to produce evidence of her hospitalisation.
Magistrate Sekoni granted a one-and-a-half-hour stand-down, directing that the commissioner must appear in court or face legal consequences.
Upon resumption, the defence presented a medical report, which was immediately challenged by the prosecution on grounds of authenticity and insufficiency.
In a strongly worded ruling, the court rejected the medical report, describing it as:
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Lacking the date and time of admission
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Failing to establish that the commissioner was admitted or medically unfit to attend court
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Appearing hastily prepared and unsatisfactory
Arrest and Remand Ordered
The court held that the commissioner’s conduct amounted to a blatant disregard for judicial authority. Consequently, Magistrate Damilola Sekoni ordered her immediate arrest and remand in prison custody.
The matter has been adjourned to January 12, 2026, for further hearing.
The development has triggered widespread legal concern, particularly regarding:
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Judicial independence
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Abuse of executive power
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Safety of judicial officers
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Respect for court authority
Legal observers note that the case represents a critical test of rule of law and accountability for public office holders in Nigeria.
Ondo Women Affairs Commissioner arrest.
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