ABUJA—The Federal Capital
Territory Police Command, yesterday, said it had concluded plans to dock a
Catholic priest, Reverend Father Anthony Ochigbo, before an Abuja High Court
over allegation that he raped a 10-year-old girl.
The Officer-in-Charge of
Legal Matters at the Command, Mr. James Idachaba, made the disclosure after he
applied and withdrew an initial one-count rape charge Police entered against
the priest before an Abuja Upper Area Court at Gudu.
The Upper Area court judge,
Alhaji Umar Kagarko, had on Monday, remanded Rev. Ochigbo in prison custody, even
as he adjourned ruling on the defendant’s application for bail.
However, at the resumed
sitting, the prosecuting counsel, Chief Superintendent of Police, Mr. Idachaba,
persuaded the Upper Area Court judge to hands off the matter for a higher court
to take over the trial. Idachaba, who anchored his application on Section 106
of Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015, stressed that the Upper
Area Court was bereft of the requisite jurisdiction to handle the case.
The prosecution told the
court that it was the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of
Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), that okayed the transfer of the matter to a
higher court.
Despite objection by the
defence counsel, Mr. Godwin Chukwukere, the court acceded to the withdrawal
request.
The judge said he had no
option than to strike out the initial First Information Report before him and
discharge the defendant.
Nevertheless, the priest is
still in police detention awaiting his arraignment before the high court.
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