Rivers court remands step-father, others over alleged sexual abuse of minor

Chief Magistrate Menenen Poromon of a Magistrate’s court sitting in Port Harcourt, yesterday, remanded a step-father and four others in Port Harcourt Correctional Centre for allegedly sexually abusing an 11- year-old girl at Buguma, Asari Toru Council of the state.

They are 23-year-old Ebi Danagogo Jack; 22-year-old Fubara George; 20-year-old Precious Omubo Wokoma; 53 –year-old Dennis Amaye Lugard and 32-year-old Alalibo Harry.

The suspects, who include the victim’s step-father, her school class teacher, a pastor of Winners Chapel, Buguma and two area boys were said to have, at different times, sexually abused the minor from aged six.

The charge sheet marked: PMC No/17719/C/2022, reads: “That you, Ebi Danagogo Jack, ‘m’, on November 19, 2022, at Buguma City in the Port Harcourt Magisterial District, with intent to commit felony, did have unlawful carnal knowledge of a minor, aged 11, thereby, committed an offence punishable under Section 218 of the Criminal Code. Cap 37 Vol. 11, Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999.

“That you, Fubara George ‘m’, on March 11, 2022 at Buguma City in the Port Harcout Magisterial District, with intent to commit felony, did have unlawful carnal knowledge of a minor aged 11 years old and thereby, committed and offence punishable under Section 218 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37 Vol. 11, laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999.

“That you, Precious Omubo Wokoma ‘m’, sometime in the month of June 2019, at Buguma Cty in the Port Harcourt Magisterial District, with intent to commit felony, did have unlawful carnal knowledge of one minor aged eight years old, and thereby, committed and offence punishable under Section 218 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol. 1 laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999.

“That you Dennis Amaye Lugard, ‘m’, sometime in the month of November 2019, at Buguma City, at Port Harcourt Magisterial District, with intent to commit felony, did have unlawful carnal knowledge of minor aged nine years old, and thereby, committed and offence punishable under Section 218 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37 Vol. I1, laws of Rivers State of Nigeria 1999.

“That you, Alalibo Harry, ‘m’, sometime in 2015 at Buguma Cty in the Port Haroourt Magisterial District with intent to commit felony, did have unlawful carnal knowledge of a five-year- old, and thereby, committed and offence punishable under Section 218 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37 Vol 11, laws of Rivers State Nigeria, 1999.

After listening to the counsel in the matter, Chief Magistrate Poromon, adjourned till December 22, 2022 for hearing. However, spokesperson for International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Rivers State, Sophia Afoloyan, said the suspects must be brought to book as they failed in their duty to protect the little girl, who is orphaned.