Four men remanded at federal correctional facility in Owerri for defiling an under aged girl

Victor Duruamaku Owerri

A chief magistrate  court  sitting in Owerri  Imo state capital and presided  over by Chief Magistrate Obinna Njamanze, Thursday, ordered the remand of four men, for allegedly gang raping an under aged girl of 14 yrs old

The accused persons according to the charge sheet, are, Amarachi Nwodo,39, David Ajuka, 22, Chima Uwandu, 43, and Osinachi Okoro, 29

However, the chief magistrate denied the accused person’s bail as applied by their counsel Bar. U. S Nnadozie and G. O Anyalebechi, respectively.

The prosecution Counsel,  Mr B. C Iwu, objected to  the bail applications, on the grounds that the victim was suffering from a life-threatening disease

Also the prosecuting counsel, further based his objection to the bail application on the fact that the accused person does not reside within the magisterial district.

He insisted that the court  considers the gravity of the crime committed by the accused persons and deny them bail noting that the defendants might abscond If granted bail, thereby obstructing the will of justice.

In his ruling, the chief Magistrate considered the submission of the prosecuting counsel  and ordered that they be remanded in Owerri Correctional Centre.

He ordered that the case file be transferred to the state Director of Public Prosecutions  (DPP) for the possible prosecution of the defendants.

The chief magistrate had  earlier struck out counts five, six, seven, eight, nine and ten  in the charge sheet before ordering the remand of the accused persons in  custody till August 17.

The state secretary of The International Federation of Women Lawyers, C. O Iwunna who announced their appearance also opposed the bail applications moved by the counsels to the defendants.

Their counts read “that you, Amarachi Nwodo ‘m’ on the 8” day of November 2022 at Amaraku, triable in the Owerri Magisterial District, did rape one Chiamaka Okehe ‘f age 15 years, .with her consent obtained by force, threat, intimidation and fear of harm and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 357 and punishable under Section 358 of the Criminal Code Cap. “C38” Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 as applicable in Imo State.

“That you, David Ajuka ‘m’ on the 10th day of January 2023 at Amaraku, triable in the Owerri Magisterial District, did rape one Chiamaka Okehe ‘f age 15 years, with her consent obtained by force, threat, intimidation and fear of harm and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 357 and punishable under Section 358 of the Criminal Code Cap. “C38” Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 as applicable in Imo State.

“That you, Chima Uwandu ‘m’ on the 1Oth day of March, 2023 at Amaraku, triable in the Owerri Magisterial District, did rape one Chiamaka Okehe ‘ age 15 years, with her consent obtain by force, threat, intimidation and fear of harm and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 357 and punishable under Section 358 of the Criminal Code Cap. “C38” Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 as applicable in Imo State.

“That you, Osinachi Okoro ‘m’ on the 21 day of March, 2023 at Amaraku, triable in the Owerri Magisterial District, did rape one Chiamaka Okehe f age 15 years, with her consent obtain by force, threat, intimidation and fear of harm and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 357 and punishable under Section 358 of the Criminal Code Cap. “C38” Laws of the Federatin of Nigeria 2004 as applicable in Imo State.

“That you, Amarachi Nwodo ‘mn’ on the 8th day of November, 2023 at Amaraku, triable in the Owerri Magisterial District, did have unlawful carnal knowledge of one Chiamaka Okehe f age 15 years and thereby committed punishable under Section 221 of the Criminal Code Cap. “C38” Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 as applicable in Imo State.

“That you, Amarachi Nwodo m’, David Ajuka ‘m’, Chima Uwandu m’ and Osinachi Okoro ‘m’ between the month of November 2022 and March, 2023 at Amaraku, triable in the Owerri Magisterial District, did unlawfully and indecently assaulted one Chiamaka Okehe f aged 15yrs and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 360 of the Criminal code, Cap. “C38, Laws of the Federal of Nigeria, 2004 as applicable in Imo state

“That you, Amarachi Nwodo ‘m’, David Ajuka ‘m’, Chima Uwandu ‘m’ and Osinachi Okoro ‘m’ between the month of November 2022 and March, 2023 at Amaraku, triable in the Owerri Magisterial District, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit a felony to wit: Grievous Assault and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Cap “C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 as applicable in Imo State.

COUNT VIIT: That you, Amarachi Nwodo ‘m’, David Ajuka ‘m’, Chima Uwandu m’ and Osinachi Okoro, on the same date and place in the aforesaid Magisterial District, did unlawfully assault one Chlamaka Okehe ‘f by continuously having sex with her, which caused her harm in her vagina and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 355 of the Criminal Code cap “C38” Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 applicable in Imo

State. Nwodo ‘m’, David Aiuka ‘m’, Chima Uwandu

“March, 2023 at Amaraku, triable in the Owerri Magisterial District, did conspire amongst yourselves tO Commit a misdemeanor to wit: threatening violence and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 517 of the criminal Code, Cap. “C38”, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 as applicable in Imo State.

“That you, That you, Amarachi Nwodo ‘m’, David Ajuka ‘m’, Chima Uwandu ‘m’ and Osinachi Okoro ‘m’, on the Same date and place in the aforesaid Magisterial District, did conduct yourselves in a manner likely to cause breach of peace, by threatening one Chiamaka Okehe ‘f not to disclose to any One that you have been having unlawful carnal knowledge of her or else you will kill her and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 86(1) of the Criminal Code, Cap. “C38″, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 as applicable in Imo State.”