Man in court for sexually abusing 4-year-old daughter

A 35-year-old man, Onyebuchi Ezema on Tuesday appeared in an FCT High Court Lugbe, Abuja, for sexually abusing his four-year-old daughter.

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons ( NAPTIP), charged Ezema, who resides in Zone 9, Lugbe AirPort Road, Abuja with assault, to which he pleaded not guilty.

• Killings: Youths stage another protest in Katsina
• COVID-19: Lagos halts planned re-opening of mosques, churches

The Prosecution Counsel, Mr Cornelius Dabiet, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on June 16 at his residence.

Dabiet said that said the offence contravened Section 1 (1) of the Violence Against Person (Prohibition) Act 2015.

The prosecution prayed the court to grant him a date to open his case against the defendant.

He told the court that the defendant was on administrative bail and may escape prosecution if granted bail.

Mr Monday Ejeh, Counsel to Ezema urged the court to grant his client bail, citing Sections 35 (4) and 36 (5) of the 1999 Constitution.

Ejeh also cited Section165 (2) of the Administration of the Criminal Justice Act 2015.

Justice Asmau Akanbi, however, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties in like sum.

Akanbi ordered that one of the sureties must be a GL 14 officer in the Federal Civil Service and must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.

She adjourned the case until July 13.