Court Grants Ekiti Ministry Of Justice Power To Prosecute Woman Over Violent Scrotum Injury On Boyfriend
A Magistrate Court in Ado-Ekiti has authorised the Ekiti State Ministry of Justice to take over a violent assault case.
The court gave the ministry the power to prosecute 20-year-old Joy Ikoja, accused of inflicting injury on her boyfriend.
Ikoja allegedly tore the scrotum of Ibrahim Usman during a domestic altercation in the Irona area on April 12, 2025.
She was earlier arraigned by the Ekiti State Police Command before new concerns were raised over the seriousness of the charge.
The Nigerian Bar Association, Ado-Ekiti Branch, requested that the Ministry of Justice take over the prosecution.
The association cited growing violence against men and described the act as attempted murder under Ekiti’s Criminal Laws.
In court, Deputy Director of Public Prosecution, F.O. Awoniyi, confirmed he was acting on the Attorney General’s instruction.
Awoniyi requested that the case file be officially handed over to his office for thorough legal review and prosecution.
He noted the accused had been arraigned two weeks prior for a similar offence but the matter was settled informally.
He said repeated acts of violence should no longer be ignored, especially when victims are male and grievous harm is done.
Defense counsel David Ogbede sought bail for Ikoja, urging the court to consider the interest of justice in her favor.
However, Magistrate Olatomiwa Daramola rejected the bail application and stressed the need to fast-track the prosecution process.
The court directed the Ministry of Justice to pursue the case diligently and bring all necessary evidence to court.
The court also recognised the seriousness of the allegations and the potential threat to public safety if left unaddressed.
The case was adjourned to May 12, 2025, for further hearing, as the ministry begins its formal review of the charges.
This marks the second time Ikoja is facing a similar complaint, raising concerns about repeated domestic violence patterns.
The court’s decision to empower the ministry reinforces efforts to curb all forms of violence, regardless of the victim’s gender.
