Lecturer remanded in prison for raping teenager

An Upper Area Court in Makurdi yesterday remanded a 51-yearold senior lecturer with the Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo in prison custody for alleged rape and persistent molestation of his teenager housemaid.

The accused lecturer, Andrew Ogbuja, of the department of Catering and Hotel Management at the state-owned Polytechnic in Ugbokolo town of Okpokwu Local Government Area was alleged to have had carnal knowledge of 13-year-old Elizabeth Ochanya Ogbaje while she lived in his house.

Prosecution had told the court that on August 8, 2018, at about 12:00 noon, women lawyers under FIDA in Benue State, in company of one Mrs Rose Abah of Ogene Amadu Edumoga in Okpokwu LGA of the state, reported the matter to the police.

The First Information Report (FIR) indicated that the complainant, Mrs Abah told the police that sometimes in February 2018 when her daughter one Elizabeth Ochanya Ogbanje aged 13 was sick and admitted at FMC Makurdi, she told her that when she was staying with her cousin sister Felicia Ogbuja in Ugbokolo town between 2013 and 2015, the son of the same cousin sister by name Victor Ogbuja had canal knowledge of her.

The court further heard that the husband to the cousin sister, Andrew Ogbuja also had canal knowledge of the teenager and that during police investigation, the said accused, Andrew was arrested for committing the offence while his son, Victor is at large.

Police prosecutor, Inspector Patrick Sunday told the court that the offence is contrary to sections 97 and 284 of the Penal Code law of Benue state 2004 and therefore punishable according to the law therewith.

But, the accused who was arrested last Friday pleaded with the judge to temper justice with mercy and grant him bail to enable him go back home and resolve the matter amicably considering his status, more so, that he was actually caught in the act.

The accused who spoke through his counsel, David Ojile, equally promised to take full responsibility for the treatment of the victim, hence it is a family affair but the judge, Justice S. D. Kwen rejected the plea and sent the lecturer to Makurdi Federal Prison pending the determination of the matter,

No plea was however taken at mention of the case because the court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the matter.

The case has been adjourned to September 24.