A Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Awka, Anambra State, has remanded a 75-year-old man, Sunday Muoghalu in prison for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl put in his custody.
Recall that last weekend, a video of the minor, who was impregnated by Muoghalu, her guardian went viral on the internet which prompted a swift response from the Anambra State Commissioner for Women and Social welfare, Hon Ify Obinabo.
The emergency response saw to the rescue of the girl and arrest of the suspect on Sunday night, December 11.
Muoghalu, who resides at Umuoruka village, Awka, was on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, brought before the Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court, sitting in Awka, and presided over by Judge Genevieve Osakwe.
He was arraigned on three counts of defilement, carnal knowledge, emotional, verbal and psychological abuse.
Ruling on bail application by the defence Counsel to the defendant, the presiding court noted that the rate of rape and defilement of minors in the state is alarming; adding that the defendant is old enough to be the grandfather of the complainant.
The chief Magistrate went further to state that although the counsel to the defendant prayed the court to grant the defendant bail on the grounds of having acute diabetes and hypertension, he failed to present any medical report or hospital extract to that effect.
The court, however, refused bail for the defendant and ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison custody; while urging the prosecuting counsel to forward the police case file to the Office of the DPP, Ministry of Justice to enable it file information before the High Court.
Present during the court hearing is the former Minister, Women Affairs, Iyom Josephine Aninih.