Two men rape woman in police cell

•Court remands suspects in custody •Policemen on duty face orderly room trial

From TONY OSAUZO, Benin

Two men have allegedly raped a woman, Mrs. Ese Isaiah, while she was in police custody in Abraka, Delta State.

The victim, who was said to have fought with a neighbour, who invited police to arrest her, was detained in a police cell along with the two men who raped her on the fateful night. Her husband, it was gathered, made effort to get her released on bail but the police allegedly drove him away.

An Abraka Magistrate’s Court has remanded the two rape suspects, Enamuotor Akpevwe (21) and Ugbede Obruche (20) in prison custody. In the suit referenced: MAB/25/C/2013, the suspects were charged on two-count charge of felony and rape.

According to the charge sheet, “Enamuotor Akpevwe ‘m’ and Ughede Obruche ‘m’ on 26th February, 2013, in the night time, at Abraka Police Station, in the Abraka Magisterial District did conspire with one another to commit felony to wit rape and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap ‘C’ 21, Vol. 1, Laws of Delta State of Nigeria 2006.”

Count II charge read: “That you, Enamuotor Akpevwe ‘m’ and Ugbede Obruche ‘m’ on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did rape one Ese Isaiah who was detained in the police cell by unlawfully and forcibly having carnal knowledge of her without her consent, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 358 of the Criminal Code, Cap ‘C’ 21, Vol. 1, Laws of Delta State of Nigeria 2006.”

When the case came up for mention, the trial magistrate, Mr. J. D. Epete, ordered the suspects to be remanded at the Federal Prisons, Sapele, while hearing on the case was fixed for the May 3.

Meanwhile, it was reliably gathered that the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 5, Alhaji Hamisu Argungu, has ordered an orderly room trial of the policemen on duty on the fateful day.

The rape victim, Mrs. Ese Isaiah had petitioned the Zone 5 AIG office in Benin through her counsel, Mr. Ejomasuvwe Efe, alleging that she was locked in a police cell with men who raped her serially without the policemen on duty protecting her despite her cry for help.