An Abuja High Court on Thursday ordered the remand of cleric Amos Isah over alleged defilement, pending confirmation of an earlier bail granted to him by another court.
Justice Modupe Osho-Adebiyi directed that Isah, the founder and General Overseer of Prophetic Voice of Fire Ministry International in Gwagwalada, be kept at the Nigerian Correctional Service facility in Kuje, Abuja.
The prosecution accused the cleric of luring a 14-year-old girl to his office within the church premises, where he allegedly defiled her.
According to the prosecution, the alleged offences violate Sections 3, 4 and 14 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015.
Isah pleaded not guilty to the eight-count charge when the matter came up before the court.
Justice Osho-Adebiyi subsequently instructed the defence counsel to produce records of the bail earlier granted to the defendant by another High Court.
The judge issued the directive after noting that the court had not received any documents relating to the bail or the sureties attached to it.
The cleric was arrested by police in June 2025 and first arraigned on July 22, 2025, before vacation judge Justice J.E. Obanor at a High Court in Maitama, where he also pleaded not guilty.
The matter was later reassigned to Justice Osho-Adebiyi on March 11 following an application by the prosecution counsel, Aderonke Imana.
At the resumed hearing on April 21, Isah was absent from court.
During proceedings, defence counsel O.U. Sule, SAN, told the court that his client had already been admitted to bail by a sister court.
Justice Osho-Adebiyi, however, stressed that the relevant bail documents and records of the sureties were not before her court.
“His record of surety is not before the court; if I tell him to go, who am I releasing him to?” the judge asked.
Sule urged the court to release the defendant on self-recognition, but the request was rejected.
“Until I get the record, there is really not much I can do. You have not applied for bail before me,” the judge said.
The defence counsel later sought an oral application for bail, but the prosecution counsel opposed the move.
“I am opposed to the oral application; I am before another court,” Imana said.
Justice Osho-Adebiyi also observed that the sureties were absent and that their documents had not been presented before the court.
“The defendant is hereby remanded to the correctional centre pending his bail determination.”
The court then instructed the defence counsel to notify the registrar once the necessary documents are ready.
The matter was adjourned until June 30 for the commencement of trial.
