A Magistrate Court sitting in Abakaliki, the state capital, on Wednesday, remanded one Arinze Samuel, 22-year-old for car robbery and rape, in the state.
It was gathered that the suspect was told by one Kelechi and Emma that the victim, one Charles Nwobia, had a large sum of money in his house on the day of the incident.
The suspect, alongside his accomplices, had after robbing Mr Nwobia of his valuables worth N5million, raped his younger sister, Peace and made away with his car.
The suspect committed the offence on June 11, 2020, on No. 1 Daniel Street, off Odunukwe Road, Abakaliki, in the Abakaliki Local Government Area of the state.
He was arraigned before the Magistrate’s Court on a six-count bothering on armed robbery, rape, attempted murder, unlawful possession of firearms, amongst others, on Wednesday.
The Police Prosecutor, ASP Mathias Eze, told the court that the offences were punishable under sections 516A (a), 402, 357, 320 of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria 2009; section 27 (1)(b)(I) of the Firearms Act, Cap. F28, Vol. 7, Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004, as applicable in Ebonyi State and section 3(1)(3) of Ebonyi State Law prohibiting secret cult activities/carrying of offensive weapons in Ebonyi State Cap. 12, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
The charge read in part: “That you Arinze Samuel ‘m’ and others now at large on the 11th day of June, 2020, at No. 1 Daniel Street, off Odunukwe Road Abakaliki, in the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit; armed robbery/rape/attempted murder/unlawful possession of firearms/cultism and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 516A (a) of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
“That you Arinze Samuel ‘m’ and others on the same date and place, in the aforementioned Magisterial District did arm yourselves with gun/machete and robbed one Charles Emeka Nwobia ‘m’ of oke Toyota Camry 2006 model, one Plasma 3D 27inches television, one LED plasma flat-screen 24 inches, five laptops, amongst others, all valued Five Million, Five Hundred and Sixty Thousand Naira (N5,560,00.00) and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 402 of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
“That you Arinze Samuel ‘m’ and others now at large on the same date and place, and in the aforementioned Magisterial District did rape one Peace Liamngee and lawfully had canal knowledge against her will and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 357 of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.”
The suspect, Samuel who confessed to the crime pleaded for mercy as he disclosed that he was under the influence of a spell, saying he was just released from prison in February 2020, for similar offences.
“I was just released from prison on February, this year. I don’t know what is happening to me. I want you to have mercy upon me.
“We were three that went for this robbery and after that, we raped the younger sister of Mr Nwoba. We stole many things from his house and after that, we packed the items in his car and took off.
“I have been in Abuja, since the incident. I don’t know what brought me back to Ebonyi State because it was up to two weeks that I came back, that Police arrested me over this matter.
“Out of the proceeds from this robbery operation, I bought a gun from it and I have been using it to rob people. Please, the court should have mercy on me.
The Defense Counsel, Barr E. Nwebo, had applied to the court that his client be granted bail.
But the Prosecuting Counsel led by, ASP Eze, opposed the bail application on the grounds that the offence was beyond the jurisdiction of the court to adjudicate on, amongst other grounds.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Nnenna Onuoha, ordered that the accused be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Abakaliki, while his case file should be transferred to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP in the state, for necessary judicial action.
The case was adjourned till November 27, 2020.
