A Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Awka, Anambra State on Wednesday remanded a-75 year old man, Sunday Muoghalu in prison for allegedly defiling a 13-year old, said to be his foster daughter.
Muoghalu, a resident of Umuoruka village, Awka, was arraigned before the Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court, presided over by Genevieve Osakwe, in a 3-count charge of defilement, carnal knowledge, emotional, verbal and psychological abuse.
Ruling on bail application by 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.
According to the Chief Magistrate, although the counsel to the defendant prayed the court to grant the defendant bail on 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; 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 at the court hearing was the former Minister of Women Affairs, Iyom Josephine Aninih.
The Daily Vendor had reported that the suspect had admitted responsibility for putting the victim in family way, but confessed he was only playing with the girl and never intended to impregnate her.
