By Vivien Tyonongu
A 58-year-old civil servant in Benue State, Joseph Adoyi, arraigned for the rape of an 11-year-old girl, Victoria Aje was Wednesday granted bail in the sum of N100,000 by a Makurdi Magistrate Court.
The suspect, who lives behind ECWA Secondary School, Makurdi was arraigned and remanded in prison custody on September 16, 2021 for alleged rape of a minor, an offence contrary to Section 284 of the Penal Code Law of Benue State 2004.
According to the Prosecutor, Inspector Rachael Mchiave, the suspect was arrested based on a petition written by Anthony Aje of Ipole Akor, in Orokam, Ogbadibo Local Government of Benue State.
The petitioner had alleged in his petition to the Commissioner of Police, Benue Command, that sometime in 2013, he gave his daughter, Victoria Aje to the elder sister, Esther Aje, where the husband to the sister, forcefully had sexual intercourse with his 11-year-old daughter which resulted to pregnancy.
Granting the accused bail, the Magistrate A.O. Jack Esq said, “this allegation is not capital in nature and in matters of this nature, bail remains a constitutional right of the applicant, in the circumstance, I therefore, admit the application to bail pending trial.
“Consequently, the defendant is admitted to bail in the sum of 100,000 naira only and a surety in the like sum, the surety shall be a reasonable and reliable person that is resident within the jurisdiction of the court,” he said.