The Children Sexual and Gender-based Violence Offences Court in Awka, Anambra State, on Thursday ordered the remand of a 58-year-old trader, Chukwudi Ugwu, at the correctional centre over the alleged rape of a minor. The defendant is standing trial on a one-count charge of raping his neighbour’s 11-year-old daughter.
Details of the alleged crime
The prosecutor, Inspector Chinyere Okechukwu, told the court that the defendant committed the offence at No. 10, Slaughter Lane, Eke in Awka. She alleged that the defendant lured the girl into his shop and raped her. The offence contravenes the provisions of section 34(2) of the Child’s Rights Law of Anambra State, 2004.
Ugwu pleaded not guilty to the charge. The prosecutor urged the court to remand the defendant to the correctional facility pursuant to section 130(2)(a)(b) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2022.
Court ruling and adjournment
Chief Magistrate U.E. Onochie ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Awka Correctional facility. She adjourned the case until 5 August for hearing.
Separate case: mother and son arraigned for assault on minor
In a related development, a 49-year-old woman, Charity Aniekwe, and her son, Chidiebere Aniekwe, 30, appeared before the same court on Thursday for allegedly assaulting her 12-year-old niece. The defendants are facing a charge of unlawful assault on a minor and pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Ms Okechukwu, told the court that the alleged offence was committed between June 2025 and June 2026 at Isiokwe Enu, Onitsha, in Anambra. She alleged that the defendants repeatedly assaulted the girl with a cane during that period.
According to the prosecutor, the victim’s father, who is the first defendant’s younger brother, reported the matter to the police. “The father of the 12-year-old girl, who is the younger brother of the first defendant, reported to the police that his sister and her son willfully assaulted his daughter with a cane. They thereby committed an offence,” Ms Okechukwu alleged.
The alleged offence is punishable under Section 252 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 36 Vol. II, Revised Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria, 1991, as amended.
Bail granted
Chief Magistrate Onochie granted each defendant bail in the sum of N100,000 with one surety in like sum. The case was adjourned until 5 August for a report on compliance with the bail conditions.
