Cook, another accused admit rape charges

A 35-year-old cook, Pius Ochang, and another accused, 28-year-old Peter Akam, in two separate cases on Friday pleaded guilty to charges of defiling and raping their victims before two different magistrate courts in Lagos. Ochang admitted before an Ebute-Meta chief magistrate court, Lagos, to raping a 13-year-old girl, whose name the police withheld. Akam, on […]

A 35-year-old cook, Pius Ochang, and another accused, 28-year-old Peter Akam, in two separate cases on Friday pleaded guilty to charges of defiling and raping their victims before two different magistrate courts in Lagos.

Ochang admitted before an Ebute-Meta chief magistrate court, Lagos, to raping a 13-year-old girl, whose name the police withheld.

Akam, on his part, was arraigned before an Igbosere magistrate court where he also admitted raping a 24-year-old lady (name also withheld) on July 1, 2018 at about 20.30 hours at the Oba Elegushi private beach, Lagos, as well as stealing her N15,000.

Akam was spotted by his victim on December 25, 2018, who raised an alarm and he was nabbed by the police. His case has been adjourned till January 31, 2019 for legal advice by the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

Ochang, a native of Boki in the Ogoja Local Government Area of Cross River State, was arraigned before the court on a count charge of having unlawful carnal knowledge of the minor.

The cook, in his confessional statement, told the police, “I had fun with the girl but I didn’t sleep with her.”

But the police maintained in their charge that the cook committed the offence at about 11am December 21, 2018, at his residence located at Agbara Jesu Street, Oworonsoki, Lagos.

Following his guilty plea, Chief Magistrate A.O. Adedayo adjourned the matter till February 2, 2019, for review of facts and possible sentencing.

Adedayo ordered the cook to be remanded in prison custody pending the next adjourned date, while the police should duplicate the case file and forward it to the DPP.