11th August, 2022
Nollywood actor and singer, Moses Armstrong, has been charged with rape, conspiracy, intimidation, and supplying of drugs to procure an abortion.
The actor was charged by the Akwa Ibom State Government.
The four charges were on Wednesday read to Armstrong for the first time since he was first arrested on June 13 for allegedly raping a minor.
According to Premium Times, Armstrong pleaded not guilty to the charges and his lawyers applied for bail.
The prosecution, I.U. Robert, an assistant state counsel, however, opposed the bail application.
He cited relevant judicial authorities and urged the court to dismiss the application which he described as an “abuse of court process.”
The Judge, Ntong Ntong, after hearing submissions from both counsels upheld the defense counsel’s application and granted bail to Mr. Armstrong in the sum of N5 million.
A Magistrate Court Judge, Moreen Udoka had last month struck out the case for lack of jurisdiction after she was briefed by the prosecution that the case has been entered at a High Court in the state.
Mr Armstrong is being prosecuted for allegedly raping a minor – a teenage girl he adopted and has been leaving with his (Mr Armstrong’s) family.
The movie actor was first arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Uyo on June 17 but the case was struck out after the Magistrate, Samuel Ukoima, ruled that the matter was not properly filed.
The Magistrate had advised the prosecution to rearrest the suspect, take him to cell, and re-arraigned him properly.
Mr. Armstrong was suspended by the Actors Guild of Nigeria following the rape allegation.
The Akwa Ibom State-born actor, who started his career 23 years ago, lost his wife, Rita, in 2018.
The mother-of-two was returning to her husband’s residence in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State from Lagos when the bus she was traveling in had an accident at the Ugbogui axis of Benin Ore Lagos Expressway.
Rita, a Nollywood actress, died from spinal injuries sustained during the accident.