A Magistrate’s Court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital has ordered the remand of a 45-year-old man for allegedly defiling a nine-year-old daughter of his landlord.
The suspect, Okorie Obini, a native of Amachara Okposi in Ohaozara Local Government Area of the state, was accused in a suit marked MAB/792c/ 2023 of molesting the girl who is living with the grandmother in the village.
According to a prosecution team from the Ebonyi State Police Command, the incident happened on September 9, 2023 at Amachara Okposi Village.
Obini was said to have sexually assaulted the minor on three different occasions which caused her severe pains.
After the acts, the victim narrated her ordeals in the hands of Okorie to her grandmother.
The prosecutor noted that the girl informed her grandmother how Okorie threatened to kill her if she divulged how he unlawfully had carnal knowledge of her.
During the arraignment, the defendant had no legal representation and he was not allowed to take his plea.
He was accused of committing an offence punishable under Section 4 (2)(1) of the VAPP Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2018.
“That you Okorie Obini, aged 45 years on the 9th day of September 2023 at Amachara Okposi in Ohaozara Local Government Area within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did intentionally penetrate the vagina of a nine year-old girl (name withheld) with your penis without her consent, contrary to Section 4 sub (1)(a)(b)(c) and punishable under section 4(2)(1) under Ebonyi State Violence Against Persons Prohibition laws 2018,” the only count-charge slammed against the defendant read.
The trial Magistrate, Chinedu Agama ordered the remand of the defendant in the correctional center in Abakaliki.
Agama instructed that all documents and evidence in the matter be transferred to the Department of Public Prosecution for advice on further prosecution.
