City Crime
Court Declines Jurisdiction In Rape Case …As Prosecution Amends Charge Against IAUOE Staff
A senior Magistrate Court 20 presided over by Senior Magistrate Gambo Osaro (Esq), has declined jurisdiction in the case involving Commissioner of Police and Wekwa Mgbechi, a staff of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education on allegations of unlawful carnal knowledge of a minor.
At the resumption of the case which was billed for hearing of bail application on Monday, the Prosecutor, E. K Daniel applied for amendment of the previous charge brought against the accused on the 15th February, 2021.
After listening to submission of the defence counsel, Martina Okpeeholo who argued that the amendment of the charge was done in bad faith and that of Jane O. À. James (Mrs), holding watching brief for the complainants on behalf of the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign who aligned herself with the prosecutor, E.K Daniel, the Senior Magistrate Osaro ruled that the amendment was in order.
The prosecution counsel had in the new charges brought against the accused alleged that Wekwa Mgb-echi on the 13th day of January, 2021 at Rumu-akwunde in Emohua LGA, Rivers State in Port Harcourt Magisterial District force-fully had unlawful canal knowledge of one Victoria Edwin ’F’, a minor by inserting his penis into her vagina which is punishable under Section 31(3A) of the Child’s Rights Act Cap 50 Laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2003.
“The second charge reads that Wekwa Mgbechi ’M’, on the same date and place in the aforesaid Magisterial district did threaten to deal and kill one Victoria Edwin, ’F’, should she inform anyone you forcefully and unlawfully insert your penis into her vagina and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 31(3B) of the Child’s Right Act Cap 50 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2003.”
“The third charge reads that Wekwa Mgbechi, ’M’, between 22nd day of December, 2018 and May 2019 at Aluu, Ikwerre L.G.A did threaten to deal/kill one Supreme Edwin, ’F’, should she inform anyone that you had carnal knowledge of her through her anus forcefully and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 32 of the Child’s Right Act Cap 50 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2003.”
The accused did not take his plea when the charge was read to him
In the ruling, the presiding Senior Magistrate, ordered the case file to be transferred to Director of Public Prose-cution (DPP) for legal advice while the case was adjou-rned to March 25, 2021
The presiding senior magistrate also ordered that the accused be remanded in Port Harcourt Correctional Centre.
The Tide reports that the accused had earlier been remanded in the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre on the orders of the presiding magistrate when the matter was first brought to the court and adjourned for bail application.