Anthony Iwuoma
A Magistrate Court in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital, on Wednesday, remanded three young men in Abakaliki prisons for allegedly robbing and raping a 14-year-old girl.
They reportedly robbed the victim of her of N2,600.00 and also raped her around Jemeni Street, in Abakaliki Local Government Area of the state, on February 19, 2020.
Consequently, the suspects, Chidera Okelekwe, 18, Akpa Ifeanyichukwu, 18, and Onyekaba Chinedu, 19, were arrested and arraigned with three-count charge, bordering on armed robbery, possession of unlawful weapons and unlawful sexual intercourse.
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The offence, according to the Police Prosecutor, Inspector Chinedu Mbam, is punishable under sections 516A (a), 402 and 358 of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
The charge read: “That you Onyekaba Chinedu ‘m’, Akpa Ifeanyichukwu ‘m’, Chidera Okelekwe ‘m’ and others now at large on the 19th day of February, 2020, at Jemeni Street Abakaliki, in the Abakaliki Magisterial District did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: armed robbery and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 516A (a) of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
“That you Onyekaba Chinedu ‘m’, Akpa Ifeanyichukwu ‘m’, Chidera Okelekwe ‘m’ and others now at large on the same date, place and in the aforesaid Magisterial District did armed yourselves with dangerous weapons and robbed one Esther Maduabuchi ‘f’ of her cash sum of Two Thousand Six Hundred Naira (N2,600.00) and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 402 of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
“That you Onyekaba Chinedu ‘m’, Akpa Ifeanyichukwu ‘m’, Chidera Okelekwe ‘m’ and others now at large, on the same date, place and aforementioned Magisterial District did had unlawful canal knowledge of one Esther Maduabuchi ‘f’ age 14 years, without her consent and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 358 of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.”
Ruling on the matter, the Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Nnenna Onuoha, said the matter was not within the jurisdiction of her court and directed that the case file should be taken to the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, for advice.
Meanwhile, she ordered that the accused persons be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Abakaliki, pending the DPP’s advice.
