Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki
A Magistrate’s Court in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital on Monday remanded a 32-year-old man, one Emeke Chukwuani in prison for allegedly raping a 23 years old girl in the state.
The victim, the Nation learnt is a 23 years old girl who hawks groundnut in the city.
It was further gathered that she was on her way home around 8 pm at the close of work, when the suspect snatched her phone and ran into the popular Fatilami Park, in the City.
The victim chased him into the park in a bid to recover her phone but was overpowered and raped by the suspect.
Narrating her ordeal, the victim, said, “I was going home with my younger sister. That was around 8.30 pm. We saw this man on the way. He stopped and wanted to talk to us, but we continued to move. He followed us and snatched my phone and ran into Fatilami Park.
“We ran after him to give us our phone. Immediately we got to the photo stand, he grabbed my neck and we began to struggle. As we struggled, he was biting me everywhere including my private part, my ear, my cheek, my shoulder, my back and somewhere.
“My sister was shouting but nobody was there to help us. When my sister was trying to draw him away from my body, he broke a bottle on her head and she ran outside crying, while I was shouting inside.
“It was when he hit my mouth with the bottle that I became somehow unconscious and I woke later to see he had raped me.
“I was surprised when I heard gunshots and two persons came inside. He tried to run away but they apprehended him. That’s when I realized they were police officers. They saved me and my sister.”
The suspect, Chukwuani, was arraigned on Monday before the Court on a one-count charge bordering on unlawful sexual intercourse.
In his submission before the court, Police Prosecutor, Inspector Chinedu Mbam, said the offence was punishable under section 358 of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
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The charge read, “That you Emeka Chukwuani ‘m’ on the 28th day of November 2020, at Fatilami Park, Abakaliki, in the Abakaliki Magisterial District did forcefully have carnal knowledge of one Akunna Ngozi ‘f’ aged 23 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.”
No bail application was made on behalf of the accused as he had no legal counsel.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. B.I. Chukwu ordered that the person be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Abakaliki.
She also directed that the case file be sent to the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions, for a necessary legal decision.
Mrs. Chukwu adjourned the matter till December 11, 2020, for a report of compliance.
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