Court Remands ExxonMobil Staff for Allegedly Raping Teenager

The Lagos Magisteriate Court on Thursday remanded an ExxonMobil staff, James Ikenna Onuoha, in Kirikiri Prisons, Lagos, for allegedly raping the 14-year-old niece of his tenant, Chidera Igwe.

The suspect was charged to court by the Investigating Police Officer of Zone 2 Police Command Headquarters, Inspector Stephen Agbonedeso, after he was arrested by the Ajah Police Division on Wednesday.

The defendant was remanded in Prison till February 23, pending the issuance of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) legal advice.

Bail was also granted in the sum of N2million and a provision of two willing sureties that can stand in for him.
According to reports, Onuoha had allegedly visited his tenant’s house regarding the rent but was absent and proceeded to rape 

the teenager in front of the tenant’s three-year-old daughter.

THISDAY gathered that subsequent tests at the hospital had allegedly shown that the teenager was forcibly penetrated, as was confirmed by internal bruises.

With charge sheet no E/05/2015, the suspect was arraigned on a four-count charge for allegedly raping the  teenager, which is a punishable offence under sections 134(2), 258, 135(1) and 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

The charge sheet read: “That you Onuoha Ikenna James on January 4, 2016, at about 11.30 a.m at no 25, Samuel Amoore Street, Idowu Estate, Ike-Ira Nla, Ajah, Lagos, did willfully commit an indecent act on Chidera Igwe, thereby, committing an offence punishable under section 134 (2) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

“That you Onuoha Ikenna James did have unlawful sexual interclass with one Chidera Igwe without her consent and thereby committed an offence under section 258 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.”

Already, the Director Public Prosecution (DPP), has requested for the duplicate case file, to enable them to investigate the matter.
Speaking to THISDAY,  Coordinator of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT), Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, said they are on top of the situation.

She said: “Legal advice will be issued timeously as with all cases of sexual and gender based violence (GBV) and hopefully prosecution will commence at the High Court.”