BY AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
A Magistrate’s Court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital has ordered the remand of a 30-year-old man, Emmanuel Ogbonna in the Nigerian Correctional Centre for allegedly having carnal knowledge of a primary three pupil.
Ogbonna was arraigned by the police on one count-charge bordering on rape of the minor said to be a pupil of Ezza Road Primary School Abakaliki on February 1, 2023.
It was gathered that the accused person lured the victim into an uncompleted building on her way from school, offered her three mangoes and allegedly raped her even as blood gushed from her private part.
The charge reads, “that you Ogbonna Emmanuel on the 1st day of February 2023 at number 1, Nnorom Street, Abakaliki in Abakaliki Magisterial District did have unlawful carnal knowledge of one girl (name withheld), aged 10 years old and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 218 of the criminal code cap 33 volume1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the allegations. His counsel, Solomon Eguji, applied for bail of his client in most liberal terms and assured that reliable persons would be made available to stand sureties.
But, police prosecutor, Inspector Eze Chinagorom opposed the oral bail application, saying that the Magistrate’s Court lacks jurisdiction to grant bail on the matter.
The presiding Magistrate, Lynda Ogodo, agreed that her court lacks competent jurisdiction to release the accused person on bail.
She ordered that Ogbonna be kept in the custody of the Abakaliki Correctional Centre and adjourned the matter till February 28 for mention.
Ogodo directed the prosecutor to forward the original case file, evidence and all other documents in the matter to the Department of Public Prosecution for legal advice.
In an interview with the victim’s guardian, Ikechukwu Ude, he demanded for justice, claiming that the defendant lured his little niece with mangoes and took advantage of her innocence.
Ude narrated: “My niece came back from school that day very late. The evening school runs from 12pm to 6pm, but she got home around 7pm on that day. By then, I had gone to look for her in school at Ezza Road Primary school without seeing anyone. The school is not too far from home, it is situated at the end of our street. She is just 10 years old and in Primary 3.
“Upon interrogation, she told me that on her way from school, somebody called, offered her three mango fruits and forced her into a lonely area and had carnal knowledge of her inside an uncompleted building. He actually lured the little girl with mangoes and left her in a pool of blood. I demand justice and full weight of the law on the suspect. He took advantage of her innocence.”
