Court remands man, 32, in prison for alleged rape

An FCT High Court in Kubwa, on Wednesday remanded a 32-year old man, Anthony Okoye in a correctional centre for allegedly raping an 18-year old girl.

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) charged the accused person of Tugajima Village, Dei-dei, Abuja, on two-count charge bordering on rape.

The defendant pleaded not guilty.

Justice Kezziah Ogbonnaya ordered the defence counsel, Nnaemeka Agbo, to formally serve the court his processes following his submission for an oral bail application.

Ogbonnaya, however, adjourned the matter until June 8 for trial.

Earlier, Agbo told the court that he had filed an application for bail which was not before the court.

The defence counsel urged the court for leave to make an oral application for the accused’s bail.

The prosecution counsel, Hafsat Jamoh, alleged that the accused intentionally penetrated the vagina of the teenager with his penis without her consent sometime in July, 2021.

Jamoh added that he administered a substance on the victim with intent to stupefy her at Tugajima, Dei-dei, Abuja on the date.

The offence is punishable under section 1(2) and contrary to 22 of the Violence Against Persons Prohibitions Act, 2015.