Following the allegedly raping to death of a 13-year-old girl, Ochanya Ogbanje, who was kept under his custody of 54-year-old Andrew Ogbuja, a senior lecturer with the Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, Benue State government, yesterday, has arraigned the senior lecturer on four- count charge .
Ogbuja’s arraignment came nearly a year after Ochanya’s death in October last year because of the complications from her prolonged rape by Ogbuja and his son, Victor, who is now at large and remains a second suspect in the case.
The accused, who was arraigned before Justice Augustine Ityonyiman of the State High Court 9, however pleaded not guilty when the four-count charge bordering on rape and murder was read to him.
The prosecuting lawyer, P. M. Ukande, deputy director, Public Prosecution, Benue State Ministry of Justice, consequently prayed the court to remand the accused and fix a date for proper trial having pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against him.
Counsel to the accused, Abel Onoja, did not oppose the application for trial, he therefore urged the court to make an order to compel the prosecution to ensure that medical experts named in the suit are physically brought before the court to testify during the full trial.
“My Lord, I have a motion which seeks to compel the prosecution to produce medical experts who have been mentioned in the proof of evidence to be put on notice for their physical appearance in court, so that they can testify when the trial commences,” Onoja pleaded.
The prosecuting counsel vehemently opposed the application brought before the judge saying it was wrong and premature for the defence counsel to come up with such application hence full trial was yet to commence.
The trial judge, while agreeing with the prosecution, overruled the defendant’s application, saying that it is premature.
The court however adjourned the suit to November 14, 2019, for commencement of trial.