The Court of Appeal in Lagos has discharged and acquitted a businessman, Nathaniel Onwuegbulam, of defiling a teenage girl.
A three-man panel led by Justice Danlami Senchi held that there was no evidence to substantiate the allegation.
He delivered judgment in an appeal by Onwuegbulam’s lawyer, Victor Opara (SAN), against the ruling of a Lagos High Court, which earlier dismissed his no-case-submission.
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The appellate court had granted Onwuegbulam bail after three failed attempts before Justice S. S. Ogunsanya.
The appellant was first arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s Court on a one count-charge of raping the underaged girl in 2016 in Agodo, Lagos. He was later re-arraigned before Justice Ogunsanya.
The prosecution called four witnesses during the trial, after which Onwuegbulam opted for a no-case submission, but Justice Ogunsanya dismissed it on July 4.