I attempted to sell my son for my mother's burial - Father

A 30-year-old man, Haruna Sule, on Wednesday told court that he wanted to sell his son in order to get money to do his mother’s burial ceremony. Sule and his friend, Abdulfatai Quadri, a 30-yearold guy, were arraigned in Iyaganku Magistrate Court 5 in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, over an attempt to allegedly sell a six-year-old boy. The accused were ar- raigned on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and kidnapping. The accused pleaded not guilty. The prosecutor, Sgt. Oriola James, told the court that Haruna and his friend Abdulfatai on June 21 at Agbowo area, Ogbomoso in Oyo State conspired together to sell a six-year-old boy. The prosecutor said the offences contravened Sections 516 and 509 Crimi- nal Code Cap. 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria 2000. In his statement, Haruna told the police that his mother died and was looking for money to do her burial. He said he called his friend, Abdulfatai, to look for buyer for him to sell his son, Saka Sule, in order to get money for the mother burial. According to him, his friend told him that he had found someone to sell the son to, however, on getting there, the person called police for their arrest. The Chief Magistrate, Mr Taiwo Oladiran, grant- ed the accused bail in the sum of N100,000 with two reliable sureties in like sum. The matter was adjourned till August 31,2017 for further hearing