19th November, 2021
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
A Chief Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt has sent two 14-year-old male students of Okporo Secondary School in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State to Remand Home after they were arraigned on charges bordering on defilement of a female student.
Chief Magistrate Rita Oguguo on Thursday ordered the remand of the two boys after they pleaded not guilty to allegation that they rape an under-aged female student.
The charge sheet PMC/1732c/2021 read, “That you Chukwudi Daniel ‘m’ and Confidence Samuel Gbarabe aka pipeline ‘m’ on the 27th day of October, 2021 at Okporo Secondary school in Port Harcourt Magisterial District did conspire amongst yourselves to wit:defilement and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 516A of the criminal code,cap 37 vol,11 laws of Rivers State Nigeria.
Count 11 read, ‘that you Chukwudi Daniel ‘m’ and Confidence Samuel Gbarabe AKA pipeline ‘m’ on the aforementioned date and place in the aforementioned magisterial district did unlawfully and sexually abuse one (name withheld) age 14 years by inserting your penis into her vagina and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 221 of the criminal cod,e cap 37,vol 11,laws of Rivers State”.
Chinedu Ndah, Counsel representing the two male students prayed the court to grant his clients bail in exercise of its power.
However,after listening to the argument by the parties, Chief Magistrate Rita Oguguo, ordered that the students should be sent to remand home in Port Harcourt and adjourned the case to 7th December for ruling on bail application and hearing.
Speaking to Journalists outside the court room, a member of International Federation of Women Lawyer(FIDA), Emi Jim George said the organisation was called into the case by the complainant.
She said FIDA has been following the progress of the case till it was brought to the Court.
She added that FIDA will continue to follow up to ensure justice is served to all parties in the matter.
Our correspondent reports that no representative of Okporo Community Secondary school was in court.