BY AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
A 26-year-old man, Joseph Nwachukwu, has been arrested by the Ebonyi State Police Command and arraigned at a Magistrate’s Court for allegedly raping a 60-year-old woman, Mary Ogbonna.
The prosecutor, Sergeant Sebastian Alumona, informed the court that Nwachukwu followed the grandmother who was returning from a burial ceremony at Obiagu Onuahiankwo in Okposi-Okwu community of Ohaozara Local Government Area of the state, dragged her into the bush and forcefully had sexual intercourse with her.
The offence was allegedly committed on August 31, 2022.
The charge sheet obtained in court read, “that you Joseph Nwachukwu, on August 31, 2022 at Obiagu Onuahiankwo Okposi-Okwu community in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, did unlawfully attempt to kill one Mary Ogbonna by holding her neck and thereby committed offence punishable under section 320(1) of criminal code cap 33 volume1 laws of Ebonyi state of Nigeria, 2009.
“That you (defendant) on the same date and place did willfully and unlawfully damage one blouse valued fifteen thousand naira only, property of one Mary Ogbonna and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 451 of criminal code cap 33 volume1 laws of Ebonyi state of Nigeria 2009.
“You did unlawfully assault one Mary Ogbonna by giving her first blows all over her body and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 351 of criminal code cap 33 volume1 laws of Ebonyi state of Nigeria 2009.
“That you did rape one Mary Ogbonna, aged 60 years and thereby committed offence punishable under section 359 of criminal code cap 33 volume1 laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria 2009.”
The plea of the defendant who had no legal representation was not taken as the charges are severe.
However, Magistrate Blessing Ibeabuchi-Chukwu ordered that Nwachukwu be remanded at the Abakaliki Correctional Center and adjourned the matter till September 23 for mention.
The Magistrate also directed the prosecutor to transfer duplicates of the original case file to the Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.
In an interview with the victim, she said the bush path she passed was lonely and that the suspected rapist might have trailed her the moment she left the burial event.
“When we went for the burial, I didn’t wait till the end of the entertainment section; I left for home after the church service and interment because I had some things to attend to.
Unknown to me, there was danger on the way. When I noticed him (Nwachukwu) coming behind me on the lonely route, I even greeted him. After that, I went on before I could know what was happening; he lifted me into a nearby cassava farm.
“He nearly strangled me to death by holding me on the neck for almost 30 minutes, tore my blouse and raped me despite my little resistance. I am still having body pains on my chest, ribs and other places following the punches he gave me when I tried to put up resistance.
“I want the government to punish him according to the law for raping an old grandmother like me,” she noted.
