Lawyer in court for assaulting female journalist

An Uyo-based lawyer, Mr. Akaninyene Cletus has been arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital for allegedly assaulting a female journalist, Blessing Ambrose.

The case, which is between the Commissioner of Police and Akaninyene Cletus, came up for hearing last week before the Chief Magistrate Usukuma Akpabio.

The prosecutor, Sergeant Oscar Okon represented the Commissioner of Police during the hearing.

Narrating her ordeal before the court, Ambrose, who is a broadcaster with Akwa Ibom State Broadcasting Corporation (AKBC) accused Cletus of beating her up and inflicting her with injuries.

She told the court that trouble started on May 29, 2016 when Cletus, who was her co-tenant at No. 6, Umana Uko Lane, off Atiku Abubakar Road, Uyo demanded drink from her for keeping her sewing machine at the veranda of the apartment close to her window.

Ambrose added that when she refused to heed his demand for drink, he beat her up and threatened to deal with her.

“I reported the matter to my landlord, who intervened and said that he did not want any trouble. Cletus, who was in his house, shouted that I should take the machine out of the veranda immediately.

“He later came out and used his legs to hit the sewing machine. He slapped me, pushed me down and beat me up. I sustained injuries on my knee, eyes, arms and face. When my brother tried to stop him, he beat him up too. People from the compound later came and took me away.

Ambrose said after the landlord had intervened in the first incident she thought that the matter would end there but Cletus continued with his threats and assault.

The complainant said on August7, 2016, Cletus started with more intimidation and even went as far as bringing out a machete from his kitchen, a situation that prompted her to immediately report him to the police station, ‘C’ Division at Aka Etinan, in Uyo.

The accused was later arrested by the police for interrogation and his aggressive conduct at the police station warranted the police to charge the matter to court.

The Chief Magistrate adjourned the case to January, 9, 2017 for further hearing on the case.