By: Chineneyeh Ozor
A 23 old man has been arraigned at Nsukka magistrate court on four count charges including abduction and rape of 13-year-old minor.
The man whose name was given simply as Agene Gabriel, 23, was said go have flown from Lagos state to abduct the minor at Nkologwu, Uzo Uwani local government area, Enugu state.
When the matter was mentioned in Suit No.Nz/C/2025 magistrate court holding at Nsukka magistral district of Uzo-Uwani the presiding Chief Magistrate Samuel Audu took both the suspect and the minor to the magistrate Chamber where he adjourned the case to 23rd March 2025.
Briefing newsman immediately after the court section, Mr Francis Akaugwu, uncle to the female minor said that the magistrate decided to hear the case inside court chambers to give the minor protection.
According to him, the accused is charged with four counts of abduction, rape and having canal knowledge of the victim.
The Charges read; “That you, Agene Gabriel ‘M’ between the 7th day of January 2025 and the 7th day of March 2025 at different times in Lagos down to Nkpologu, Uzo-Uwani in Uzo-Uwani Magisterial District, did unlawfully and indecently assault minor ‘F’ a girl under the age of 13, by touching her breast and private parts and thereby committed an offence punishable under session 255 of the criminal code cap 30 vol.II Law of Enugu State of Nigeria, 2004.
“That you Agene Gabriel ‘M’ within the same period and place in the afforementioned magisterial district did willfully commit an indecent act of keeping Female in your apartment and indecently caressing and touching her private part with intent to assault, offend her parents and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 217 (b) of the criminal code cap 30 vol.II Law of Enugu State of Nigeria, 2004.
“That you Agene Gabriel ‘M’ within the same period and place did with intent to unlawfully carnally know female’ an unmarried girl under the age of 13 years, took her out of the custody and protection of her parents who prior to this period of abduction are in lawful care or charge of her and against the will of her parents and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 209 of the criminal code cap 30 vol. II Law of Enugu State of Nigeria, 2004.
“That you Agene Gabriel, within the same period and place did detain the female against her will or with her will fundamentally obtained, in your apartment in order for her to be carnally known by you, and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 212 (a) of the Criminal Code Cap 30 Vol.II Law of Enugu State of Nigeria, 2004.”
Akaugwu said that Gabriel pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against him prompting his defence council Nenanya Kenneth to apply for his bail, which the magistrate adjoined to Thursday next week for consideration of the bail.
