A former local government chairmanship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2024 local government election in Kwara State, Musbau Esinrogunjo, has been arraigned before the state High Court for allegedly raping a teenager.
The state government had dragged the politician before the court for allegedly having unlawful sexual intercourse with the victim.
The defence counsel, Joseph Bamgboye (SAN), initially opposed Esinrogunjo’s arraignment before the court intervened.
Consequently, his plea was not taken after all.
Leading the prosecution, the state director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Ayoola Akande, prayed for the proper arraignment of the accused, but the defence counsel challenged the competence of the action.
Akande told the court that “the matter is for arraignment. We humbly apply that the charge be read to the defendant.”
The one-count charge of allegation of rape and unlawful sexual intercourse with a ‘minor’ was read to him and his plea was not taken.
The DPP argued that the accused “is already before the court and has not been granted bail.”
But the defence counsel informed the court that the Department of State Services (DSS) had granted him bail since July 2025.
“He has not breached the terms of the bail. He is not at large. There is still a bail on his neck,” he said.
Akande said, “You cannot consider the issue of bail, either written or oral, until after proper arraignment”.
The trial judge, Funso Dada Lawal, allowed the defendant’s arraignment but deferred the plea-taking to the next adjourned date.
Justice Lawal subsequently adjourned the case to November 13, 2025, for the defendant’s application and plea-taking hearing, in line with section 228 of the Kwara State Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
Esinrogunjo is also standing trial before Justice E.B. Mohammed for allegedly beating up a traffic warden while on duty.
