Ochanya: Court dismisses defendant’s no-case submission

The Federal High Court in Makurdi on Thursday dismissed the no-case-submission of Mrs Felicia Ochiga-Ogbuja over the rape and death of 13-year-old Ochanya Ogbanje by the defendant’s husband and son. The accused father, Andrew Ogbuja and his son, Victor Ogbuja (at large) allegedly raped Ochanya, who later died on October 17, 2018, due to complications […]

The Federal High Court in Makurdi on Thursday dismissed the no-case-submission of Mrs Felicia Ochiga-Ogbuja over the rape and death of 13-year-old Ochanya Ogbanje by the defendant’s husband and son.

The accused father, Andrew Ogbuja and his son, Victor Ogbuja (at large) allegedly raped Ochanya, who later died on October 17, 2018, due to complications from the several sexual molestations.

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Ogbuja is a senior lecturer at the Department of Catering and Hotel Management, Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo while his son, Victor, who is now at large, was a final year student at the Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi.

But, his wife, Felicia, 43, was arraigned by the Federal Government through its agency, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) on a two-count charge bordering on her ‘refusal’ to take action against the sexual exploitation and negligence of the deceased.

However, Mrs Ogbuja pleaded not guilty to the charges when it was read to her.

The trial judge, Justice M. O. Olajunwo, in her ruling on Mrs Ogbuja’s no-case-submission held that the prosecution had led substantial evidence to warrant the defendant to enter her defence.

“The prosecution in this matter has put substantial evidence before the court to warrant the defendant to enter her defence. Consequently, the defendant’s no-case-submission is hereby dismissed,” Olajunwo averred.

The court, adjourned the case until July 27, 2020, for Mrs Ogbuja to open her defence.