The Anambra State Children, Sexual and Gender-based Violence Offences Court in Awka has remanded a businessman and three others over the alleged rape and impregnation of a mentally challenged girl.
The defendants, Christopher Nnamah, 54, Ndubuisi Ikechelu, 40, Chinecherem Emmanuel, 20, and Kennedy Udogu, 34, pleaded not guilty to the charge when they were arraigned before the court on Thursday.
The Chief Magistrate, U.E. Onochie, ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Awka Correctional Centre and adjourned the case until August 5 for hearing.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp. Chinyere Okechukwu, told the court that the defendants allegedly committed the offence at different times in Umuriam Village, Nawfia, in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Okechukwu alleged that the defendants lured the 18-year-old victim and took advantage of her mental condition to have unlawful carnal knowledge of her.
She said the victim’s guardian discovered she was pregnant and subsequently reported the matter to the authorities.
According to the prosecutor, during questioning, the teenager identified the four defendants as those responsible for her condition.
She added that the offence is punishable under Section 3(2) of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition and Protection Law of Anambra State, 2017.
The prosecutor also urged the court to remand the defendants in a correctional facility in line with Section 130(2)(a)(b) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2022.