A COVID-19 response officer, Sunday Awoke, has been arraigned before a Magistrate’s Court sitting in Abakaliki, for raping a 19-year-old student, while sharing palliatives in the community.
Sunday, who is also a Liaison officer of Ebonyi Local Government origin, was docked on a one-count charge in a suit numbered MAB/309C/2020.
During the hearing, the defendant’s counsel, Nwankwo Chigozie Esq, prayed the court to grant his client bail, promising that he would not jump bail, being a known government appointee in the area, who has a reliable surety in the person of the community prime minister.
The Police Prosecutor, ASP Ezeh N., opposed the bail application, saying that the victim’s life had been threatened and that granting the accused bail would worsen the situation.
He said the suspect committed an offence punishable under Section 360 of the Criminal Code Cap 33, Volume 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
However, Chief Magistrate Nnenna Onuoha granted the defendant bail in the sum of N1 million in like sum. The defendant is to present a surety who must be resident within the jurisdiction of the Court, while the surety must be recommended by the village traditional ruler, who must present his tax clearance certificate for three years.
The matter was adjourned to 27th of July 2020 for hearing.
Meanwhile, Hope Anemhen Esq held brief for the nominal complainant, International Federation of women lawyers (FIDA), during the arraignment.
Addressing newsmen, the state Chairperson of FIDA, Barr. Grace Chima, frowned at the charge of indecent assault in the suit instead of rape, but assured that FIDA would follow the matter to a logical conclusion.
Narrating her ordeal after the court proceedings, Miss Ejeh said the male liaison officer, Awoke, alongside a female, came to their family house at Ogbaga road axis of the state capital on the 19th of April 2020, for a house-to-house sensitisation against COVID-19 and sharing of facemasks.
She said he borrowed her brother’s pair of sandals with a promise to return it the following day, but unfortunately raped her during the visit, despite her pleas.
In tears, she said, “On the 19th of April, two liaison officers came to our house to share facemask – a man and a woman. The man is Mr Sunday Awoke. I don’t know the woman’s name. After the sensitisation and sharing of facemask, Mr. Awoke said he had an injury on his leg, when they were about leaving, and could no longer wear his shoes.
“So he asked for my brother’s pair of sandals, which was just within sight, with a promise to return it the following day. So we gave him the pair of sandals and he left his shoes in our house.”
She added, “The following day, Monday, April 20, 2020, he came back. My mother had gone to work at that time. On arrival, instead of giving the sandal to my brother who opened the gate for him, he sent him on an errand and locked the gate. Consequently, just the two of us were in the entire compound.
“Before I could know what was happening, he came into the living room, dragged me further into the room, pressing my breast so hard, and tore my clothes. At that point, I managed to struggle with him so he would not touch my underwear, but to no avail.”
“In the course the struggle, I fell off the bed and hit my head on the floor. He got me back to the bed, knelt on my thighs and started forcing his manhood into my vagina. When he did not succeed because I had not done that before, he started using his finger and manhood, despite all my plea for mercy,” Ejeh lamented.
