Alleged rape: Police to amend charge against clergyman

An FCT High Court in Maitama has granted leave to the Nigerian Police to amend charges bothering on rape preferred against a clergyman, Apostle Basil Princewill, to a four-count charge.

Princewill was arraigned by the FCT Commissioner of Police on a three-count charge bordering on rape, impersonation and attempt to cause abortion.

He was alleged to have forcefully had sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl, between July 27 and December 31, 2011 at Mountain Mover Ministry International and his house at Nyanya, Abuja, without her consent and got her impregnated. He was also said to have given her drugs with a view to aborting the pregnancy for her.

He was also alleged to have impersonated the father of the girl when he took her to a medical centre to abort the pregnancy.

He was alleged to have also attempted to cause miscarriage on the girl when he gave her drugs to take and abort the pregnancy, which resulted to her bleeding.

The prosecution closed its case on December 9, 2016 after calling five witnesses to prove its case. The defendant also closed his defence May 24, 2017 after testifying for himself without calling any other witness.

At the resumption of hearing yesterday, the prosecution counsel, Barrister Simon Lough, told the court that although the matter was slated for adoption of written addresses, the prosecution had filed a motion on notice, dated September 22 to amend the charges against the defendant.

Without objection from the defence, the trial judge, Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf granted the leave sought by the prosecution and adjourned the matter to November 10 for taking of plea and further evidence to be given by the third prosecution witness being recalled by the prosecution.