A Makurdi Upper Area Court in Benue State has remanded a 51 year-old Andrew Ogbuja, a senior lecturer in the department of Catering and Hotel Management at the Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, for alleged rape and persistent molestation of his 13 year-old housemaid, Elizabeth Ochanya Ogbaje.
Ogbuja who was arrested last week Friday pleaded with the judge to temper justice with mercy and grant him bail to enable him go back home and resolve the matter amicably considering his status, more also that he was actually caught in the act.
The accused who spoke through his counsel, David Ojile, equally promised to take full responsibility for the treatment of the victim, hence it is a family affair, but the judge, Justice S. D. Kwen, rejected the plead and sent the lecturer to Makurdi Federal Prison.
Police Prosecutor, Inspector Patrick Sunday, told the court that on August 8, 2018, at about 1200 hrs in FIDA of Benue State chapter, Makurdi, in company of one Rose Abah of Ogene Amadu Edumoga, Okpokwu LGA of the state, came to Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department and reported the matter.
According to the First Information Report, Mrs. Rose Abah said that sometimes in February 2018 when her daughter one Elizabeth Ochanya Ogbanje aged 13 was sick and admitted at FMC Makurdi, she told her that, when she was staying with her cousin sister Felicia Ogbuja in Ugbokolo town in 2013-2015, the son of the same cousin sister by name Victor Ogbuja had canal knowledge of her, and further said the husband to the cousin sister Andrew Ogbuja also had canal knowledge of her.
He said that during police investigation, the said Andrew Ogbuja was arrested for committing the offence while the said Victor Ogbuja is at large, saying that the offence is contrary to section 97 and 284 of the penal code law of Benue state 2004.
However, when the case was mentioned, no plea was taken because the court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case while the Judge, S. D Kwen , refugee the acussed person bail and remanded him in prison custody pending the determination of the matter, while the case was adjourned to 24th September 2018.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the court sitting, a caregiver and founder of Restorer of PathCare Foundation, Evangelist Enewa Soo, stated that some time in June 2018, this case was reported to her through the International Federation of Women Lawyers and since then, she has never in making sure Elizabeth Ochanya Ogbaje health was restored to her.
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